Advantages

Disadvantages

MD Formulations is a high standard skin care range that has been around for over 20 years, that converges science with beauty. MD Formulations stands for Medical Doctors Formulations, it is a Medical Aesthetic Skincare Range created originally by doctors to address various skin conditions in the medical industry. It was first introduced into the beauty industry after a doctor used it to treat psoriasis. MD Formulations products are clinically proven to deliver dramatic results while maintaining the highest standards of safety and they have many clinical and medical trials to prove this. MD Formulations have been proved to minimise the signs of aging, assist in the relief of problem-prone and oil-prone skin, balance and brighten irregular skin tones, manage sensitive skin and soften dry, rough skin. MD Formulations is a result driven skin care range with dramatic results. Although it doesn't seem the most glamorous of skin care ranges, the proven results are all you need to know that it is amazing.

MD Formulations has a 4 step beauty regime, consisting of cleanse, correct, hydrate and protect. This product comes under the hydrate step, with Moisture Defense being the name of the selection of products in this section. Any product starting with Moisture Defense is a hydrating product. MD Formulations hydrators restore vital moisture and increase suppleness and smoothness in the skin, they reduce and prevent moisture loss, repair the skin's protective barrier and increase the skins flexibility. The hydrators are also water based, not oil based like a lot of moisturising products from other brands which can clog and sit on the skin.

The Moisture Defense range is unique, technologically advanced in the way the products are delivered into the skin, provides everything it needs to be healthy and provides complete skin health, just like new skin in a pot. The moisture feeds your skin, and they are unique in the way they work. They provide your skin with moisture, antioxidants (anti-ageing), essential fats and calming botanicals. They strengthen the lipid barrier in your skin. The lipid barrier prevents water loss and prevents penetration of irritants in to the skin.

Moisture Defense Antioxidant crème is an MD Formulations best seller. It moisturises, defends against free radicals, soothes and strengthens with botanicals and leaves the skin soft and smooth. It is an anti-ageing moisturiser and its emollient properties hydrate without leaving your skin feeling overloaded. This is a lovely thick, white cream, and looks really rich, when you apply it to your skin, it is really absorbed and you are not left with a greasy residue afterwards. It comfortably hydrates your skin, not too much, not too little. Immediately after application, your skin is smooth and soft, but you can also feel that it is further down too. This is perfect for all skins, as it works by delivering the skin hydration where and when needed, and every skin is different, even yours is day by day. The way the moisture is delivered into your skin is via a micro sphere drip feed, which provides hydration and antioxidants where and when needed. After using this product, your skin will remain fully hydrated for 8 hours before you need to reapply a product from the Moisture Defense range. Many moisturisers, especially expensive ones don't have the technology to deliver the hydration where is actually needed deep down into your skin, they just sit on the top layer of your skin, that is why when you apply then your skin feels so lovely and soft as it is just sitting onto of your damaged layers of skin. For your skin to be truly hydrated the product needs to go right down into your lower layers of skin. People pay ridiculous amounts to put the new product claimed to be anti-ageing onto their skin, but whats the point in paying this to sit on the skin, and why not pay a decent amount of money to put what your skin is actually missing in, water!

It heals your skin and protects against future damage and within a few weeks of use, you will notice a great difference in your skin. It is a brilliant anti-ageing product, it hydrates the skin so much, it plumps out fine lines and gives your skin a softer, smoother texture making it look healthier and more youthful. If you want to treat deeper wrinkles, no moisturiser will do this, whatever they claim and the ones that claim to give you collagen will but it will just sit on the skin, they have no way of delivering it into the skin, and besides you can't put collagen into the skin, it will do nothing, only your body can produce it and there are only certain products that can help your body to do this. Glycolic acid and vitamin A are the main ingredients that can do this and can be found in other MD Formulations products. You would use them to rebuild your skin and remove wrinkles etc, then you would use this to lock them in and protect and defend against the new healthy skin getting damaged. If you don't suffer from wrinkles and have youthful skin, this is the perfect time to start using this, and you will begin to protect your skin against future damage, ensuring it stays youthful for longer.

This makes a perfect make up base, as your skin is comfortable, without being too greasy so your make up doesn't appear cakey or shiney. When I use this, I just wait one or two minutes before I apply my make up, just to give it that bit of time to make sure it is fully absorbed.

I have very odd skin, it is combination, sensitive, yet sometimes very dry and oily at the same time. It has always been dehydrated and I have found fabulous moisturisers but they just weren't 100% perfect as a moisturiser to me, but this is. It is gentle to my skin, fully hydrates it, reduces dehydration by masses, and reduces the oily and shiney look my skin also had, whilst fully hydrating the dry areas, it has done just what it says by delivering the hydration where it is needed.

As this moisturiser is oil free, it is perfectly fine to use with tanning products and can be applied immediately before and to maintain the tan. If you use an oil based moisturiser it will prematurely fade the tan.

The two main moisturising properties in this product are water and hyaluronic acid. The way this product works is that humectants attract water to the skin to replenish its water reservoir. This product contains hyaluronic acid, more than all the other products, it also contains the antioxidants - vitamin E, Green Tea, Super Oxide, Dismutase and also the Botanical Extracts - Camomile, Ceramides and lipids. Antioxidants fight free radicals, are anti ageing and keep your skin younger for longer. Hyaluronic acid provides rapid hydration but is only effective if delivered into the skin the correct way. Many products such as Lloreal use a small amount of hyaluronic acid in their products but it will only sit on the skin, they don't have anything to take it into the skin where hydration is actually needed. Hyaluronic acid is 1000 x its own weight in water, which gives you an idea of how moisturising it is and it is already present in your own body. After use, your skin will have 300% more water after 15 minutes, which shows what a hydrating product this is. This has been proved with the many clinical trials that MD Formulations have done.

From the first day of using this product, it should be used morning and night. To use, cleanse your face fully, if using a corrector, apply that and then apply this product to the face and neck. It takes 1 minute to apply, it is a really quick and simple step which is so important in your skin care routine. To cover your whole face, you only need to use a pea sized amount, this is more than enough to cover that whole area. The pot comes with a little spatula inside, which shows you the amount to use. Scoop a pea sized amount into your palms, warm and then apply all over. A lot of people make the mistake of using too much of this as they think they need to, they really don't.

It is suitable for all skin types, as I described what it does above. Whether you choose this or the lotion is completely personal choice to whether you prefer a cream or lotion, they both contain the same ingredients and do the same thing, just come in a different texture. This is great for dry, mature and dehydrated skins due to the high moisture content but is also great for combination and sensitive skins.

A 50ml pot of this will last you 2-3 months with correct usage. It comes in a tub form, which means you can get right to the bottom of it to get every little bit out. The pot stays lovely and clean and is easy to get in and out of.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Price and Availability~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This doesn't come cheap, it costs £48.00 for 50ml, but is worth every penny. It can be purchased from any salon stocking MD Formulations or various websites such as www.lookfantastic.com and www.simplynailsandbeauty.com.

~~~~~~~Conclusion~~~~~~~

It is a fabulous anti-ageing moisturiser, and defends against antioxidants which are the most ageing thing after UV exposure. It is perfect for all skin types and your skin will feel fabulous after use and will actually be hydrated deep down rather than just sitting on the skin like many a moisturiser. A pot of this will last about 2-3 months, and when you think of the amount people spend on anti-ageing creams and non-surgical and surgical treatments to gain more youthful skin, then this is very little to pay when it is so good.

Advantages

Disadvantages

MD Formulations is a high standard skin care range that has been around for over 20 years, that converges science with beauty. MD Formulations stands for Medical Doctors Formulations, it is a Medical Aesthetic Skincare Range created originally by doctors to address various skin conditions in the medical industry. It was first introduced into the beauty industry after a doctor used it to treat psoriasis. MD Formulations products are clinically proven to deliver dramatic results while maintaining the highest standards of safety and they have many clinical and medical trials to prove this. MD Formulations have been proved to minimise the signs of aging, assist in the relief of problem-prone and oil-prone skin, balance and brighten irregular skin tones, manage sensitive skin and soften dry, rough skin. MD Formulations is a result driven skin care range with dramatic results. Although it doesn't seem the most glamorous of skin care ranges, the proven results are all you need to know that it is amazing.

Continuous Renewal Complex

The active ingredient in this is glycolic acid. Glycolic acid is an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), which is a naturally occurring substance that has been used for centuries to improve the appearance of the skin. Of all the AHA's, Glycolic acid, derived from sugar cane, has the greatest ability to penetrate the skin due to it's smaller molecular size. Glycolic acid has the ability to act as a superior moisturiser for the skin. Glycolic acid is the only AHA or product that is small enough to penetrate to the basal layer (the deepest skin layer in your dermis). In addition, and perhaps more importantly it unglues and dislodges dead skin cells from the outer surface of the skin, leaving the skin fresher and smoother. These properties enable glycolic acid to be used in reducing the signs of sun damage, acne, pigmentation problems and ingrown hairs. Many skin care products you can purchase from Boots contain Citric acid, which is a AHA but has the largest molecular size of all the AHA's, so is too large to penetrate the skin therefore just sitting on the surface and not being absorbed into the skin and giving results. Another popular AHA used in products is lactic acid and glycolic acid had been clinically proven to be 17% more effective than this. Glycolic acid, due to the fact of the word acid seems a scary thought to be putting on your skin but it isn't at all, it is naturally occurring in the skin, the liver and the blood as is derived from sugar cane, it will just work gently to exfoliate and smooth your skin.

MD Formulations has a 4 step beauty regime, consisting of cleanse, correct, hydrate and protect. Continuous Renewal Complex comes under the second step of correct and is one of the only two steps to contain glycolic acid. Continuous Renewal Complex is a best seller for MD Formulations. It contains 14% glycolic acid, which is more than the other correcting products, containing only 12% glycolic acid. The reason for the higher percentage of glycolic acid is this is Continuous Renewal Complex is cream based compared to the other products which are water based. Due to it being cream based, it is richer, thicker and therefore takes longer to absorb, and in this time will loose some of the strength of glycolic acid, so by the time it has penetrated into your skin, you will only be receiving 12% glycolic acid.

For products containing glycolic acid to work and exfoliate the skin effectively. The pH level has to be lower than the skin (4.5 - 5.5pH). If it remains the same, which a lot of over the counter products do, it will only cleanse and respect the skin. Continuous Renewal Complex has a pH of 3.8, which is the lowest pH proven not the affect the skin with every day use. It is fast, effective and safe. If you use soap on your skin, your skin's acid mantle (protective layer) will be damaged and your skin will actually be an alkaline. Oiler and darker skins naturally have a higher pH skin so the products may take slightly longer to see results.

The top layer of skin should contain 18 - 23 layers of cells, some skin can have up to 65 - 70 excess damaged layers ontop of this, mostly due to sun damage. Glycolic acid is the only product to penetrate through these damaged layers and reverse the damage. It won't weaken the healthy layers, nor will it 'strip' your skin.

Continuous Renewal Complex is a rich, thick, white creamy consistency, meaning it is quite easy for users to mistake it for a moisturiser, it is not at all, it is like medicine for the skin, to treat specific skin problems. It is quickly absorbed into the skin and doesn't leave you with an oily or greasy residue after use. Your skin may feel slightly tight after application, but as I stated this is not a moisturiser and this step of your skincare routine should always be followed by an application of a moisturiser and a sun protector. Using Continuous Renewal Complex before applying your moisturiser will make your skin more permeable to absorb your moisturiser so it really works and hydrates your skin instead of just sitting on the top moisturising only the top layers which are most likely already dead and about to be shed. Continuous Renewal Complex will rebalance and normalise your skin, whilst exfoliating to promote healthier, younger looking skin, diminishing the signs of ageing and improving sun damaged skin.

An effect of using Continuous Renewal Complex, due to the glycolic acid content is that your skin will tingle, it is not dramatic nor uncomfortable, just tingly. This is the glycolic acid breaking up the damaged skin cells, so may be more noticeable the first few times you use it. You will probably always feel the tingle, but it will reduce with time. I know a lot of people still feel it, but personally I do. Other effects may be slight redness, which will subdue very quickly after use.

Continuous Renewal Complex is suitable for all skin types, specifically dry, mature, skin as it is cream based, as is great for cream lovers and for use in the winter months. MD Formulations provides 5 different basic correctors, one of which is Continuous Renewal Complex, they all do the same thing but the choice of which one is dependant whether you prefer a cream or a lotion. There is a Continuous Renewal Complex for Sensitive skin, which I would recommend for sensitive skins.

This is simple and quick to use, and can be slotted into any skincare routine you already have. In the first week of use, you only use this in the evening and then from week two onwards you use it is the morning and evening. After four weeks of use, you can then introduce a specialist corrector. After cleansing your face, apply a pea sized amount to face and neck. I find it's easiest to scoop up a pea sized amount and gently rub inbetween two fingers and then apply, rather than inbetween several fingers as you can loose quite a bit of the product. It is very important you do follow the amount to use correctly, you must not get carried away and apply any more than stated otherwise you could cause your skin to become too sensitive to the product and you could get a reaction. As long as you apply the amount as and when you are supposed to, you will have no problems.

After use, your skin will feel instantly refreshed, smoother and more radiant. It will take about 2 weeks for you to notice a difference in general skin condition and up to 6 weeks for a dramatic difference. The results of Continuous Renewal Complex are dependant on your skin condition in the first place. Generally it will result in brighter, radiant, toned, youthful skin. If you have concerns with ageing, you will notice that your skin becomes firmer, more toned, youthful, plumper and wrinkles will be reduced, and fine lines almost non existent. If you have oily, congested skin the result will be cleaner, clearer, clarified and decongested skin. Continuous Renewal Complex will reduce scarring, from acne and blemishes. If the scarring is not too severe and superficial you will notice a difference quite soon, but if it is very deep and severe scarring, then it can take up to 6 months to notice a bigger difference. It will never fully get rid of bad scarring but will dramatically help. It is worth taking a photo of before and after when using this for scarring, as you get used to the way you look everyday and will not notice a difference as much as you would than if you saw it before. General skin tone on all skin types will be dramatically improved, it will softer and smoother to the touch. You must not make the mistake of using this until your skin is improved and then stop, otherwise your skin will go back to how it was, you need to continue using it to maintain the results.

If you are looking to use the MD Formulations range, this is the product to start off with, it is what you will see results from and can slot into any skincare routine you currently have.

Continuous Renewal Complex comes in a 30ml or a 50ml tub, meaning you can get to the very last drop, resulting in less wastage and without a pump that can get clogged up. If used correctly, a tub of this can last about 2-3 months.

Price and Availability

A 30ml tub will cost you £29.00 and a 50ml tub will cost you £35.50, although this seems quite expensive it does last a while and provides such dramatic results that it is worth it. It can be purchased from any salon stocking MD Formulations, where you can get a skin consultation to ensure the product is suitable for your skin, you can find your closest salon on www.bareescentuals.co.uk. You can also purchase this from various websites such as www.lookfantastic.com and www.simplynailsandbeauty.com.

Conclusion

This product has dramatic results on your skin, it results in younger, more radiant, softer and smoother skin and reduces scarring and skin problems. It works with your skin and is suitable for use by everyone. It can be slotted into any skin care routine and is easy to use. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone.

Advantages

Disadvantages

MD Formulations is a high standard skin care range that has been around for over 20 years, that converges science with beauty. MD Formulations stands for Medical Doctors Formulations, it is a Medical Aesthetic Skincare Range created originally by doctors to address various skin conditions in the medical industry. It was first introduced into the beauty industry after a doctor used it to treat psoriasis. MD Formulations products are clinically proven to deliver dramatic results while maintaining the highest standards of safety and they have many clinical and medical trials to prove this. MD Formulations have been proved to minimise the signs of aging, assist in the relief of problem-prone and oil-prone skin, balance and brighten irregular skin tones, manage sensitive skin and soften dry, rough skin. MD Formulations is a result driven skin care range with dramatic results. Although it doesn't seem the most glamorous of skin care ranges, the proven results are all you need to know that it is amazing.

Moisture Defense Antioxidant Treatment Masque

MD Formulations has a 4 step beauty regime, consisting of cleanse, correct, hydrate and protect. This product comes under the hydrate step, with Moisture Defense being the name of the selection of products in this section. Any product starting with Moisture Defense is a hydrating product. MD Formulations hydrators restore vital moisture and increase suppleness and smoothness in the skin, they reduce and prevent moisture loss, repair the skin's protective barrier and increase the skins flexibility. The hydrators are also water based, not oil based like a lot of moisturising products from other brands which can clog and sit on the skin. Where as the other MD Formulations masques work as 'treatments', Moisture Defense Antioxidant Masque comes under the hydrators/moisturisers section.

The Moisture Defense range is unique, technologically advanced in the way the products are delivered into the skin, provides everything it needs to be healthy and provides complete skin health, just like new skin in a pot. The moisture feeds your skin, and they are unique in the way they work. They provide your skin with moisture, antioxidants (anti-ageing), essential fats and calming botanicals.

Moisture Defense Antioxidant Treatment Masque is suitable for all skin types, especially dry, tired, sun-zapped and hangover skin. It gives you a real boost. It is even suitable for oily skins, as oily skins often need moisture they just have too much sebum, which moisture can help regulate, it is just a common mistake that people with oily skin won't use a moisturiser as they think it will make their skin worse but infact will help it. This is the only MD Formulations masque which is suitable for people with psoriasis on their face and pregnant and breast feeding ladies as the other ones contain Vitamin A, which shouldn't be used on psoriasis as it can stimulate it and make it worse and it is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding ladies to use as there is a myth it can cause problems with the spine in children.

The two main moisturising properties in this product are water and hyaluronic acid. The way this product works is that humectants attract water to the skin to replenish its water reservoir. This product contains hyaluronic acid, more than all the other products, it also contains the antioxidants - vitamin E, Green Tea, Super Oxide, Dismutase and also the Botanical Extracts - Camomile, Ceramides and lipids. Antioxidants fight free radicals, are anti ageing and keep your skin younger for longer. Hyaluronic acid provides rapid hydration but is only effective if delivered into the skin the correct way. Many products such as Lloreal use a small amount of hyaluronic acid in their products but it will only sit on the skin, they don't have anything to take it into the skin where hydration is actually needed. Hyaluronic acid is 1000 x its own weight in water, which gives you an idea of how moisturising it is and it is already present in your own body.

The way the moisture is delivered into your skin is via a micro sphere drip feed, which provides hydration and antioxidants where and when needed. After using this product, your skin will remain fully hydrated for 8 hours before you need to reapply a product from the Moisture Defense range.

Moisture Defense Antioxidant Treatment Masque strengthens the lipid barrier in your skin. The lipid barrier prevents water loss and prevents penetration of irritants in to the skin. Moisture Defense Antioxidant Treatment Masque moisturises, defends, soothes and strengthens the skin. The emollient cream hydrates, it defends your skin against free radicals and the environment, botanical extracts soothe the skin leaving it feel soft and smooth. Your skin feels instantly softened and hydrated after use. If you do suffer from extremely dry skin, it can be used as an intensive moisturiser and is gentle enough for every day use. The masque has absolutely amazing hydrating properties, after wearing the masque for just 15 minutes, your skin is hydrated by an astounding 700% and this is clinically proven. The masque is a beautifully thick white creamy texture and is applied easily onto your skin and washes off nicely without leaving a sticky residue. When it is on your skin, it feels really cooling, not in a menthol way, but a soothing way, you can feel the soothing properties working immediately in your skin. You can judge how parched your skin is, by how much is absorbed into your skin after application. After 15 minutes, sometimes I have quite a lot left on my skin, but other times I barely have any left as my skin has just really sucked it in. Your skin feels amazing after use, it feels like everything that was missing has been replaced, it really is a miracle buy.

This is simple to use, first of all, thoroughly cleanse your face, then apply a thin smooth layer over your face and neck avoiding the eye area. Then leave on your skin for 15 minutes, rinse off with warm water then follow with your moisturiser. If you leave it on for longer, it won't do any harm. If my skin feels really awful, I will sleep in this over night and it works even better then as your skin heals itself and works best over night. It is recommended to use this masque 1-2 times a week or as needed, the more you use it, the better your skin gets, I would really recommend using it as much as you can for maximum benefits.

Price and Availability

MD Formulations Moisture Defense Antioxidant Treatment Masque costs £24 for a 75ml tube, which with correct use will last you approximately 6 months. You can purchase this from various websites such as www.lookfantastic.com and www.simplynailsandbeauty.com

Conclusion

I think the fact that this masque rehydrates the skin by 700% in 15 minutes, and has been clinically proven say all that you need to know about this product. It truly is amazing and I would recommend it to anyone.

Advantages

Disadvantages

MD Formulations is a high standard skin care range that has been around for over 20 years, that converges science with beauty. MD Formulations stands for Medical Doctors Formulations, it is a Medical Aesthetic Skincare Range created originally by doctors to address various skin conditions in the medical industry. It was first introduced into the beauty industry after a doctor used it to treat psoriasis. MD Formulations products are clinically proven to deliver dramatic results while maintaining the highest standards of safety and they have many clinical and medical trials to prove this. MD Formulations have been proved to minimise the signs of aging, assist in the relief of problem-prone and oil-prone skin, balance and brighten irregular skin tones, manage sensitive skin and soften dry, rough skin. MD Formulations is a result driven skin care range with dramatic results. Although it doesn't seem the most glamorous of skin care ranges, the proven results are all you need to know that it is amazing.

~~~~~~~~~~Facial Cleanser~~~~~~~~~~

The active ingredient in this is glycolic acid, so I will be talking about and referring to this alot in the review as it is very important. Glycolic acid is an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), which is a naturally occurring substance that has been used for centuries to improve the appearance of the skin. Of all the AHA's, Glycolic acid, derived from sugar cane, has the greatest ability to penetrate the skin due to it's smaller molecular size. Glycolic acid has the ability to act as a superior moisturiser for the skin. Glycolic acid is the only AHA or product that is small enough to penetrate to the basal layer (the deepest skin layer on your dermis. In addition, and perhaps more importantly it unglues and dislodges dead skin cells from the outer surface of the skin, leaving the skin fresher and smoother. These properties enable glycolic acid to be used in reducing the signs of sun damage, acne, pigmentation problems and ingrown hairs. Many skin care products you can purchase from Boots contain Citric acid, which is a AHA but has the largest molecular size of all the AHA's, so is too large to penetrate the skin therefore just sitting on the surface and not being absorbed into the skin and giving results. Another popular AHA used in products is lactic acid and glycolic acid had been clinically proven to be 17% more effective than this. Glycolic acid, due to the fact of the word acid seems a scary thought to be putting on your skin but it isn't at all, it is naturally occurring in the skin, the liver and the blood as is derived from sugar cane, it will just work gently to exfoliate and smooth your skin.

MD Formulations has a 4 step beauty regime, consisting of cleanse, correct, hydrate and protect. The first step of cleanse is what facial cleanser comes under. Only two of the steps contain glycolic acid, one of these being cleanse. Facial cleanser gently exfoliates the skin; dissolves dirt and make up; preps the skin for application of other products and normalises sensitive skin. Facial cleanser is pH balanced and contains no soap or oil.

For products containing glycolic acid to work and exfoliate the skin effectively. The pH level has to be lower than the skin (4.5 - 5.5pH). If it remains the same, which a lot of over the counter products do, it will only cleanse and respect the skin. MD Formulations facial cleanser has a pH of 3.8, which is the lowest pH proven not the affect the skin with every day use. It is fast, effective and safe. If you use soap on your skin, your skin's acid mantle (protective layer) will be damaged and your skin will actually be an alkaline. Oiler and darker skins naturally have a higher pH skin so the products may take slightly longer to see results.

The top layer of skin should contain 18 - 23 layers of cells, some skin can have up to 65 - 70 excess damaged layers ontop of this, mostly due to sun damage. Glycolic acid is the only product to penetrate through these damaged layers and reverse the damage. It won't weaken the healthy layers, nor will it 'strip' your skin.

Facial Cleanser will exfoliate your skin, rehydrate it, produce collagen and elastin and make your skin more permeable. Exfoliation is the key to youthful looking skin. You should exfoliate to: take away excess layers to normalise the skin, remove damaged skin to restore strong, healthy skin, other products will work better, improve appearance and feel better, remove blockages and decongest and promote cell renewal which provides you with younger looking skin. You will notice a difference in your skin after just one day, and after 1 week, you will see quite a big difference but after 4 weeks is when you will notice dramatic results. Facial cleanser will increase the amount of water cells your skin contains, it rehydrates deep down, unlike over the counter products, after just 8 weeks of using the product, your skin has 100% more water. Facial cleanser plumps and detoxifies the skin. Collagen is made in the dermis and water stimulates collagen production, after using facial cleanser for 6 months your skin will have 30% more collagen. You will be left with firmer, toned skin and your wrinkles will be reduced. The layers of skin are made more permeable to other products and treatments, as using glycolic acid will allow other products to penetrate and work.

An effect of using facial cleanser, due to the glycolic acid content is that your skin will tingle, it is not dramatic nor uncomfortable, just tingly. This is the glycolic acid breaking up the damaged skin cells, so may be more noticeable the first few times you use it. You will probably always feel the tingle, but it will reduce with time. I know a lot of people still feel it, but personally I do. Other effects may be slight redness, which will subdue very quickly after use.

It is recommended to use facial cleanser twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening before bed. To use, apply a ten pence amount to your hands, rub together till warmed slightly (this will stimulate the glycolic acid) and then apply to the face, massage all over for about 2 minutes then moisten your hands and massage for another minute, then rinse off with luke warm water, then pat dry and apply corrector and moisturiser. When you apply water, you are likely to feel the tingle more, as glycolic acid loves water and really works when applied with it. You can also use this as a wash by mixing with water and foaming up in your hands before using. As it contains glycolic acid, I wouldn't recommend using it to take your eye make up off as it could sting, although I do still use it, I am just very careful around my eyes.

Facial cleanser is a lovely thick and substantial cleanser, it is white in colour, with a pearly appearance. A little goes a long way, meaning a 250ml bottle will last you about 6 months, if you use it correctly. It has a 24 month sell by date, so you are likely to use it all before this, ensuring you won't waste any. The bottle is simple to use, it has a screw cap, and you squeeze the bottle to dispense an amount, the bottle doesn't squeeze too much out so it doesn't go everywhere, make a mess or waste any.

Facial cleanser is suitable for all skin types; dry, oily, acne, mature, combination, normal and even sensitive, although there is a special cleanser dedicated for sensitive skin. It removes excess oil, tightens pores and decongests oily skin, whilst rehydrating to detox the skin to stop oiliness. It does the same for combination skin whilst normalise and rebalancing the dry areas and also makes the skin more permeable to absorb products. It removes dry, flakey, rough skin whilst softening and smoothing dry skin, it also drenches the skin with water from the inside out, it also makes dry skin more permeable to absorb moisturisers. For ageing skin, it eliminates dead skin to brighten pigment and eliminates age spots whilst speeding up cell renewal and plumping the skin. For acne skin, it decongests, removes dead skin, prevents scars, soothes, detoxes and deep cleansers. It soothes and calms sensitive skin whilst also strengthening it. If you suffer from blackheads, after one use you will notice a reduction and after 1 week a huge reduction and after 4 weeks, you will barely have any.

Price and Availability

Facial cleanser costs £24 but lasts 6 months, so I don't think it's too expensive, especially with the results it provides. You can purchase it from any salon stocking MD Formulations or from www.lookfantastic.com or www.simplynailsandbeauty.com.

Conclusion

I would recommend this cleanser to anyone, it is suitable for all skin types and after 4 weeks use you will notice dramatic results, your skin will be softer, plumper, healthier and hydrated. This is an excellent cleanser, the best I have used, and I will continue using it.

Advantages

Disadvantages

The Sanctuary began with a famous ladies only day spa in Covent Garden, London. They have since created a range of products that allow you to enjoy the relaxing and pampering spa therapies provided at the salon, at home.

The Sanctuary Sugar Scrub is designed to help prevent the signs of premature ageing by moisturising and helping to protect your hands, leaving them perfectly soft and smooth.

To use rub generously onto wet hands paying special attention to dry areas and the base of your nails. Rinse off thoroughly with warm water. Pat dry. Although designed for use on the hands, this can be used anywhere on the body.

The active ingredients in this scrub are Sugar, Vitamin E and White Tea Extract. Sugar removes dead, dull skin cells. Vitamin E is an antioxidant. Vitamin E is a fat soluble Vitamin that maintains cell membranes. It traps and neutralises free radicals created by the environment and offers good protection for the skin. White Tea Extract is a powerful antioxidant which protects against premature ageing. White Tea does the same job as Green Tea but is so much more powerful. These are all essential ingredients for younger looking skin.

The scrub is a thick white creamy texture and smells lovely; it is only a faint aroma of freshness. When you apply the scrub, you can feel that it is fairly grainy coated in thick cream. When you rub this into your hands, it is gentle and doesn't irritate. I have eczema and do suffer from it on my hands and this has never irritated it, so this is suitable for sensitive skin. When you are rubbing it into your hands, you can feel immediate relief for any tightness your hands may have had due to dry skin. When you wash this off, you are left with a white residue on your skin, which is extremely hard to get off without rubbing with a towel, which defeats the object of what you have done. Rinsing this residue off doesn't remove it, even with some rubbing. I once used this on my face and I was left with this residue for the rest of the day which was a nightmare. Even though you are left with a residue, your skin feels immediately softer, more supple and doesn't feel tight. It does feel very velvety like. Because of the residue that is left on your skin, I have only used this product once or twice as I don't think it's worth it, being left with a residue.

~~~~~~~~~~~~Price & Availability~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Sanctuary Sugar Hand Scrub costs £6.95 for 150ml tube. It can be purchased from Boots, the Sanctuary website or the Sanctuary salon in Covent Garden itself.

~~~~~~~Conclusion~~~~~~~

This is lovely and moisturising to your skin, but I don't think that it works well enough as a scrub and due to the residue that you are left with, it is not worth it, so I would not recommend this product.

Advantages

Disadvantages

Baskin Robbins is the world's largest chain of ice cream. Baskin Robbins was founded by Burton Baskin and Irvine Robbins. They have been providing ice cream for 62 years to more than 5,800 shops in 34 countries, proving how popular it really must be. Baskin Robbins is widely available at Cineworld cinemas and Millies Cookies.

~~~~~~~Flavours~~~~~~~

I absolutely love ice cream and apart from the nutty ones I have practically tried every flavour at Baskin Robbins, although I have my favourites I always like to try other flavours as well. You can have these severed as 1, 2 or 3 scoops in a pot or in a cone.

Classic Flavours

Vanilla - This Classic has been around since Baskin and Robbin's first started in 1945. It is made with fresh cream and real vanilla for a truly natural flavour. This vanilla ice cream really melts in your mouth. It is so soft and creamy, a real delight without being sickly or false tasting.

Chocolate - Again, this one has also been around since 1945. Baskin Robbins chocolate ice cream is made with extra rich chocolate for a real chocolately taste for all chocolate lovers. It's got a deep chocolate taste that doesn't leave you with a bitter aftertaste. The chocolate isn't bitter nor is it too sweet, it is perfect. This is the one I usually have with everything and it mixes well with all the other flavours.

Mint Chocolate Chip - This has been around since 1985. It is mint ice cream packed full with chocolate chips. This is my boyfriends' favourite flavour. The ice cream doesn't taste false, it is lovely without giving you too much of a cool blast. Although the chocolate pieces are bitter they go perfectly with the ice cream without tasting that way. This really does taste like After 8's. I'm not a fan of mint and chocolate but I really do enjoy this flavour.

Chocolate Chip - Another one which has been around from the beginning. It is made with vanilla ice cream and packed full with bittersweet chocolate chips. The vanilla ice cream is the creamy soft ice cream above and the chocolate chips break up the vanilla ice cream for anyone who thinks vanilla is just boring. The crunch of the chocolate chips goes perfectly with the soft texture of the ice cream.

Pralines and Cream - This has been around since 1970. It is vanilla ice cream with caramel swirls and praline coated pecan pieces. Although this isn't one for me, due to being allergic to nuts this is one of my boyfriend and my mum's favourites. According to them this ice cream isn't too sickly and leaves you wanting more.

Very Berry Strawberry - This has been around since 1984. It is definitely one for strawberry lovers. Strawberry ice cream packed full of strawberries. As I love chocolate and raspberries and Baskin Robbins do not do a raspberry ice cream, I usually substitute it for this and this still is a very yummy mix! Without being too sickly or false tasting, the strawberry flavour is delicious and natural, not like the strawberry ice cream I remember having when I was younger in Neapolitan ice cream.

Permanent Flavours

Cookies 'n' Cream - This has been around since 1985. It is vanilla ice cream packed full of bittersweet Oreo cookie pieces. This is definitely one of my favourites. It is extremely similar to Hagen Daaz Cookies and Cream Ice Cream. The vanilla ice cream is soft and creamy and natural tasting, I think it has a bit more to it than the Hagen Daaz vanilla ice cream. The mix of the bitter pieces of Oreo goes perfectly.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough - This has been around since 1992. It is vanilla and cookie dough ice cream with chucks of chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate chips. Another favourite of mine. I remember eating Cookie Dough on it's own, it was delicious. This is very much the same but with ice cream thrown into the mix, yum!

Gold Medal Ribbon - Created especially for the Olympics, this has been around since 1979. It is a mix of vanilla and chocolate ice creams with caramel swirls running through. The vanilla and chocolate ice creams in this definitely work better than one on their own. I love the mix of ice creams mixed with caramel swirls. There aren't very many caramel swirls and it's the luck of the draw how much you get in your serving but you do enough so it doesn't become too sickly.

Banana Caramel - It is amazing how real this banana ice cream actually tastes. It is delicious and the mix of caramel swirls with it really adds to the flavour. The banana ice cream tastes so natural without leaving a nasty aftertaste and the caramel swirls aren't sickly.

Seasonal Flavours

Strawberry Cheesecake - This has been around since 1964. Made with cheesecake ice cream, strawberry swirls and cheesecake pieces. This is a much nicer Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream that Ben & Jerry's. It is much less sickly and more natural tasting. The ice cream is really creamy as that of a cheesecake, has a decent amount of strawberry swirls and some crunchy cheesecake base pieces that haven't turned soggy due to been in the ice cream.

Mascarpone Berry Blush - This is a creamy berry ice cream with berry swirls. I'm not sure what the berries are but it tastes similar to blackberries and blueberries. It is a lovely light fruity ice cream.

'Lighter Side'

Lemon Sorbet - Has been around since 2002. Real lemon juice is used in this sorbert to give it a natural tart flavour. This a real lovely tang to it whilst remaining natural tasting throughout. It is the ice cream version of natural homemade lemonade. It is smooth and creamy in texture, unlike a lot of sorbets.

Blue Raspberry Sherbet - Tastes like a raspberry slushy, doesn't taste of real raspberries. Unfortunately this is probably my least favourite flavour at Baskin Robbins. It is quite weak and sickly tasting and leaves a funny aftertaste in your mouth.

Mad About Chocolate - A low fat frozen chocolate yogurt. Tastes as good as the real thing.

Mango Sorbet - A natural fresh tasting mango sorbet. It is smooth in texture and really fruity. This is another favourite of my boyfriends due to its wonderful natural taste and it is one of the better things on the menu at Baskin Robbins.-

My perfect ice cream combination is chocolate and raspberry, it is such a shame that Baskin Robbins do not do a raspberry flavour apart from Blue Raspberry Sherbet that I could have with my chocolate for the perfect combination. This is why I will usually favour Ben & Jerry's over Baskin Robbins as they have the perfect combination in ice cream with their Bohemian Raspberry, which is vanilla ice cream, chocolate fudge brownie and raspberry swirls. Majority of the ice creams at Baskin Robbins are very yummy, they taste natural and aren't in any way sickly or overpowering. There is such a huge variety of flavours, there's bound to be one for everyone, whether you like pure plain, smooth flavours or you like chucky interesting ones, you will find something you like. If you aren't sure what you might like, if you go to a store with nice staff, they will usually let you have testers of a few to decide which ice cream you would like. Even in hot weather, the ice cream doesn't melt quickly, so you can easily get through your ice cream without it melting, even if you pace yourself.

~~~~~~Sundaes~~~~~~

As well as just having plain ice cream you can build your own sundae. You can choose 2 or 3 scoops or ice cream and you can mix and match them. A sundae is provided in a waffle cone or in a pot like the plain scoops. You choose the ice cream, then you have a variety of toppings to choose from: Hot Fudge, Marshmallow, Butterscotch, Chocolate Syrup, Roasted Almonds, Mini Jelly Drops, Chocolate Beans, Chocolate Nibs, Sugar Strands, Fresh Bananas, Strawberry, Crushed Pineapple, Maraschino Cherries, Whipped Cream. Depending how nice the staff are you can sometimes get a few extra toppings thrown in free. Usually you can choose a sauce and a topping. My favourites are Hot Fudge Sauce, marshmallows, chocolate beans and whipped cream. The choice is yours as it is your sundae you make up yourself.

The hot fudge sauce is delicious but could be a little sickly for some people. It is, as the name suggests served hot, which is a delicious contrast against the cold ice cream. The sauce itself is like a chocolate fudge sauce. It is very thick and rich but by far my favourite. When it comes into contact with the cold ice cream it doesn't solidify, it remains as a gooey sauce until the end. This is the same with the other sauces if you choose to have them warm. The Butterscotch and Chocolate Sauces are also quite rich in taste so may not be to everyone's taste. You don't get that much so it doesn't get too sickly. The more the better for me though!

The toppings such as marshmallows, mini jelly drops, chocolate beans, chocolate nibs and sugar strands are all mini. They make a lovely addition on the ice cream, creating more flavour and depth to the ice cream. The marshmallows taste just as marshmallows should, they are light, fluffy and not sickly. The chocolate beans are lovely chocolate chunks sprinkled onto the ice cream, without being too bitter or sickly. The Chocolate Nibs are like chocolate hundreds and thousands and are very similar in taste to the chocolate beans, just in a smaller form. The whipped cream is standard whipped cream; it's light, fluffy and full of flavour and doesn't melt as it is in contact with the cold ice cream.

Not all shops serve the fresh bananas, strawberries, crushed pineapple and maraschino cherries. But the ones that do actually serve the fresh fruit and cut it up there in front of you, so you can really see it is fresh and hasn't been prepared and left lying around earlier. These make a lovely addition to the lighter option sundaes.

Baskin Robbins have some Sundaes pre-created that if you are unsure what to choose, you can choose one of these. If you don't like the whole sundae you can add or replace some items to fit your wants. Some of these are:

One of my favourite things at Baskin Robbins is the shakes they do. I absolutely love milkshakes, especially home made ones with ice cream. Baskin Robbins will create any milkshake with their ice creams that you want. You can combine two or more flavours as well. My favourite is cookies and cream ice cream milkshake. It is so delicious; it is really creamy, thick and divine. My boyfriends favourite is mint chocolate chip ice cream shake, which when made into a milkshake makes a delicious treat. You can get these in three different sizes, small, medium or large.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Frozen Coffee Drinks~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just like in Starbucks and many coffee chains, Baskin Robbins provide a range of frozen coffee drinks. Their signature one is Cappuccino Blast which is a blend of coffee and vanilla ice cream with ice and topped with whipped cream and if you want cinnamon. They also do a version of this with Mocha and Hot Chocolate. They mix a Mocha or Hot Chocolate blend with vanilla ice cream and then top it of the same or as you wish. You can get these in three different sizes, small, medium or large.

~~~~~~~~~Bold Breezes~~~~~~~~~

If you do prefer the lighter options, then Bold Breezes are for you. They are a blend of real fruit and ice and make a lovely refreshing treat in the summer. You can choose from Strawberry, Citrus, Mango or Kiwi. As well as these drinks, Baskin Robbins will also make you a Bold Breeze Smoothie by adding low-fat frozen yogurt to the blend of fruit. You can get these in three different sizes, small, medium or large.

~~~~~~~~'Grab N Go'~~~~~~~~

Baskin Robbins provides a Grab 'n' Go section, which is only available in the larger stores. They provide seven different flavoured 500ml tubs of ice cream for you take home with you. You can choose from: Cookies & Cream, Jamoca, Pralines and Cream, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry Cheesecake, Mango Tango, Chocolate Mousse Royal.

~~~~~~~~~~Nutritional Info~~~~~~~~~~

I won't list all the nutritional information of all the ice creams. But you are looking at between 200 and 250 calories per scoop, so this is very high, so having this ice cream is definitely an occasional treat. If you have a 3 scoop sundae you are looking at about 800 calories, and that's not including the toppings that will take it to about 1000 for a small treat. The fat content in the ice cream is also fairly high. For one scoop, you are looking at between 10% and 50% of your daily allowance. Again, if you have a 3 scoop sundae with an ice cream that takes up 50% of your daily ice cream, you will be over your limit and that's just with a snack. For the milkshakes, you are looking at between 1000-2000 calories per large shake. For the mint chocolate chip ice cream, you are looking at 111% of your fat content daily allowance and 236% of your saturated fat allowance. This ice cream truly in unhealthy but that is why it is so delicious. The lighter side ice creams are much better for you, although not great, you are looking at about 130 calories per scoop and most of them are completely fat free.

If you do find yourself allergic to quite a few ingredients but are interested in having this ice cream, I would recommend visiting http://www.baskinrobbins.com/Nutrition/productlist.aspx?category=Ice%20Cream. As well as giving full nutritional information, you can access every ingredient used.

~~~~~~~~~~~~Price & Availability~~~~~~~~~~~~

My nearest Baskin Robbins store is located in the centre of London, but much nearer to me there are many Baskin Robbins franchises located in local cinemas and Millie's Cookies. Majority of Cineworld and Vue Cinema's have a Baskin Robbins inside them. Baskin Robbins is a luxury brand of ice cream so you are looking to pay more for it than other brands. Prices vary in different stores and venues and depending what additions you add to your ice cream. You are looking to pay about £1 per scoop of ice cream, between £3.50 and £5.00 for sundaes, and about £3.50 for the beverages. It's not an exceptionally high price and it is a treat if you are out or at the cinema. For your nearest store you can go on http://www.baskinrobbins.co.uk/store-locator.aspx and type in your postcode and it will come up with a list for you.

~~~~~~~Conclusion~~~~~~~

Baskin Robbins is very unhealthy, unless you go for the 'lighter options' but the ice cream is so delicious, for an occasional treat it is worth it. All the ice cream is very high quality without being sickly, and although expensive, it is not excessive. I would definitely recommend a visit if you pass a store, I'm very sureyou won't regret it.

Advantages

Disadvantages

Bare Escentuals BareMinerals is brought to you by a company called Cosmeceuticals, who also own the likes of Skin Doctors, MD Formulations, Vitage and many other brands but those being the most well known and popular.

Bare Escentuals first of all introuduced their BareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation in 1976, since then Bare Escentuals has created creamy, feather-light color for all over your face, cheeks and eyes. They have a complete line of loose, powder-like products which are 100% pure BareMinerals. Since the popularity of the foundation. BareMinerals have brought out a range of brushes and facial products such as this in the BareVitamins range.

Although BareMinerals make up has been around since 1976 it is only in the last few years it has become more well known, and it still isn't as widely known about as it should be. It is America's number 1 selling foundation and also the number 1 mineral make up brand in the world, proving that it must be good. It is slowly coming into more salons and getting more of the deserved publicity it should in the UK. Quite a few salons, I have found mainly in the Midlands stock BareMinerals, and the salon I work in does also, and has done for several years - the customers love it! Since using Bare Escentuals make up on my face, I would never use anything else and I know alot of customers feel the same. I think it is the best make up out there by far.

Bare Vitamins Skin Rev-er Upper is an invisible exfoliator in the form of a cream packed full of vitamins. It is formulated with glycolic and salicylic acids and botanical extracts which invisibly exfoliate your skin leaving it soft, smooth and flawless.

~~~~~~~~~~~~Use & Effects~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glycolic acid the smallest of the Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) there is. AHA's are natural ingredients that exfoliate the skin. It is a purely natural ingredient and is derived from sugarcane. As Glycolic acid has the smallest molecules, it is the only thing that can reach the basal layer, which is your very bottom layer of skin. Once applied Glycolic acid will react with through the layers of the skin and works by weakening the binding properties of the lipids that hold dead skin cells together, this is exfoliating. Most products only reach as far as the first few layers of skin if that, not providing a thorough enough exfoliation. You can get different %'s of Glycolic acid in products. Products specially designed to be used by therapists only can contain up to 80% but in this product is only about 10% providing it is safe from home use. Only containing 10% doesn't mean that it doesn't work as well, it is just a less harsh treatment immediately and suitable for unqualified people to use. It works over time rather than an 80% one would have immediate results, such as a chemical peel. Glycolic acid has been proven to reduce wrinkles, acne scarring, hyper-pigmentation and other skin conditions. Salicylic acid is also an AHA and works on the skin by causing the cells in the layers of skin to slough off more readily, preventing pores from clogging up, and allowing room for new cell growth. Glycolic and Salicylic acids work as invisible exfoliators, they aren't like the standard ones, which you rub on and run off. After applying them, they continue to work deep down in your skin for 24 hours without having to wash anything off. The Botanical Extracts in this counteract any irritation occurring from the AHA's.

Now I have just explained about the AHA's in this, and it all does sound a little daunting but it really isn't. All the AHA's are natural and exfoliating your skin is good for it. This product is suitable for all skin types including sensitive which I have. I have eczema on a lot of my face and this never irritates it at all. It's fantastic for oily skin as it regulates the sebum production and is great for dry skin as exfoliation is a must have for dry skin as the main cause of dry skin is a build up of dead skin cells. It is even suitable to apply near the eyes, it doesn't sting or cause them to water.

Skin Rever Upper is a slightly liquidous cream, it does appear like a normal moisturiser and is applied the same. It is fragrance free and also has no natural scent. To apply you squirt a small amount out of the small pump provided and then apply all over your face and neck. It absorbs in about 2 minutes fully, depending on how dry your skin is at the time, if it is very dry it will be quicker than this. Skin Rever Upper should be worn alone or under moisturiser, you can apply make up straight over the top. It should be applied daily, and I would definitely recommend wearing it in the day under your make up and at night, as everything works a little better over night. It will continuously work under your moisturiser and make up for 24 hours, but you won't know it is doing anything. This amazing product will make your skin appear clearer and healthier whilst providing a flawless canvas for make up application, even after just one use. Your make up will stay on longer and appear much fresher and smoother. Immediately after use your pores appear much smaller, and after applying your make up they are nearly invisible. With continued use your pores really do keep getting smaller and after a week or so with daily use they will practically have disappeared. When this is applied to your skin it definitely has a lovely cooling effect and doesn't feel as if it is burning your skin at all. This also helps with blackheads, it gently helps to eliminate and prevent them. Immediately after applying it to your skin, it feels soft and velvety. It doesn't dry or make your skin feel tight, but it definitely mattifies it. It doesn't feel as if it has a greasy residue on it at all nor do you have an oily sheen.

After using for just a week, you will notice a massive difference to your skin. It made my skin appear so much smoother, have an even skin tone and appear less red. It really was an invisible miracle. I have used this now for about 2 years, it is fantastic and when I don't use it, I really notice a difference, my skin goes oily again and my skin appears much more dull and unattractive. The one thing with this product is that you must be careful you aren't using any other products with Glycolic acid in; you should speak to a therapist if you are unsure. If your products contain glycolic acid, you are more than likely going to know that it does. General high street products do not contain it. It will be a specifically prescribed product from a therapist. If you are having chemical peels, then it is fine to use as homecare from the peel, but again, speak to your therapist to check the products they are using. At my salon, we use MD Formulations and this product is fine to use with their chemical peels.

Skin Rever Upper comes in a small white bottle with a black lid and pump action dispenser. This is easy to use, and doesn't get clogged up or need cleaning. The only problem with the bottle being white is that it can get a little dirty, especially if you're like me and carry everything round in your handbag with you. This doesn't affect the quality of the product at all though. I find a bottle of this will last about 1 year and ½ with daily use, so it really does last a long time!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Price & Availability~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For a small bottle of this you will be looking to pay between £17 and £24. Although it seems a lot to pay, it lasts so long and is such a fantastic product I really don't think it is. It can be purchased from www.lookfantastic.com or any salon stocking BareMinerals products.

~~~~~~~~~~Conclusion~~~~~~~~~~

Although it seems quite a lot to pay, for such a fantastic product with such quick and effective results, it isn't. It is easy to use, and can be worn under make up; you'll never know it's there whilst it secretly works underneath your skin. The bottle lasts for so long, providing another reason why this is so great. I really would recommend this product to anyone as no ones skin is 100% perfect.

Advantages

Disadvantages

The Sanctuary began with a famous ladies only day spa in Covent Garden, London. They have since created a range of products that allow you to enjoy the relaxing and pampering spa therapies provided at the salon, at home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hand Wash & Soak~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Sanctuary Hand Wash and Soak can be used as a hand wash, hand or foot soak or even as a bath soak. It is enriched with anti-oxidant White Tea and Panthenol to leave your skin cleansed, soft and smooth.

~~~~~~~~~~~Use & Effects~~~~~~~~~~~

Although people think it is the face, your hands are the area on your body that age the quickest, this is mostly due to the fact that this area is neglected and washing your hands, although removing dirt and cleaning them is actually bad for your skin! You're washing all the good oils and moisture out of your skin resulting in dry, tight skin and ensuring that wrinkles appear faster and more distinct. Most people just wash their hands with soap or a standard hand wash but this will just age your hands. Using this as a hand wash is good for your hands as it contains ingredients that nourish your skin and rather than removing your good oils, it provides more nourishment and replenishes anything that has been removed, meaning it cares for your hands whilst cleansing them.

I'm a beauty therapist and most people who come for hand treatments, such as manicures have problems and ageing with their hands due to washing their hands with just water, or soap and water and a hand wash that strip the skin. As a beauty therapist I would recommend this hand wash for caring for your skin. Many hand washes and soap are alkaline based products. The skin has an acid pH so if alkaline products are used on it, the acid mantle will be disturbed. The acid mantle is the protective layer of goodness and oils on your skin and also discourages bacteria and fungi, so you don't want to remove this. It will take several hours for this protective film to be restored. If this is damaged your skin can be left dry, damaged or even irritated and sensitive. The Sanctuary Hand Wash and Soak isn't an alkaline based product, therefore it doesn't disturb the acid mantle and doesn't irritate or dry your hands. The handwash is pH balanced and dermalogically tested making it suitable for sensitive skin and ensuring it is not too harsh on your delicate hands. The handwash is perfect for anyone wanting to care for their hands, suffering from dry, damaged, chapped or sensitive skin on their hands.

The main ingredients in The Sanctuary Hand Wash and Soak are White Tea and Panthenol. White tea boosts the immune system of skin cells and protects them from sun damage and ageing. It also protects your skin from environmental damage and immune cell damage which in the long run can help protect against skin cancer. It is also antibacterial, so protects your skin against foreign bodies causing infection. White tea neutralises free radicals that are found in the environment that can affect your body and speed up the ageing process. Even if your skin is already damaged, White Tea helps to reverse some of the damage caused. Panthenol is also known as Pro-Vitamin B5. It is a natural ingredient that your body produces anyway. It is frequently used for treatment of sunburns, mild burns and minor skin disorders, proving it has a soothing effect and in cosmetics it is used as a moisturiser. Panthenol is soothing and moisturising to your skin.

To use as a hand wash it is recommended to massage daily into the hands and rinse with water. If used as a soak apply to the hands and nails and soak for 5-10 minutes in warm water. It is recommended you use a moisturiser afterwards to lock all the nutrients and moisture in. To use as a bath soak, dispense a large amount into warm running water then swirl around. It won't bubble up, but it does leave the bath with a lovely creamy and rich look.

The Sanctuary Hand Wash and Soak is a pampering and conditioning hand wash to cleanse and protect your hands. It contains gentle cleansers which remove impurities from the skin. The hand wash and soak can be used as a hand wash, a soak treatment to moisturise the hands and help make the nails less brittle or as I like to use it, as a bath soak. It is so lovely to sit in just for 20 minutes. It is so relaxing, smells divine and it leaves my whole body feeling soft and moisturised.

The bottle is different to that of the picture. It is now a frosted clear bottle which shows the rich and creamy wash with a bright orange lid. The bottle has a pump action to dispense the wash. This doesn't get clogged up and there's no need to clean it. The pump however doesn't dispense enough of the product at once; you have to pump it quite a lot to get a decent amount which can be quite annoying. This also proves a little tedious when trying to get the last bit out, I find the pump doesn't pick it up, so you have to unscrew the lid and pour it out yourself.

The Sanctuary Hand Wash and Soak doesn't smell of anything particular but I do know that it smells lovely, it is really refreshing, crisp and clean smelling, just what you want from a product like this. I wouldn't say it particularly smells like the other Sanctuary products, they tend to have more particular smells. After use your hands or your body are left smelling clean and refreshed. This lovely aroma lasts for several hours after use or until you wash your hands again. It isn't just a feminine smell, it is appropriate for males as well as females. It is thick and creamy in texture. When you use it as a hand wash it thoroughly cleanses your hands and doesn't leave a residue. It is easy to use, although it doesn't lather up much, it is still luxurious and is easily rinsed off. After use your hands are left feeling soft, supple and moisturised. Your nails are also treated too; they appear more radiant and healthy. The moisture lasts in your hands for hours afterwards or until you wash them again. After repeated use, you will definitely notice a difference; your hands will remain much more moisturised and will be less dry. Although your hands are left moisturised they are not left with a greasy or oily residue afterwards and it is easy to do things immediately afterwards. When you use this as a bath soak, as it is a bigger and tougher area, noticing a difference does take a little longer. The first time I did use this as a bath soak, I did notice whilst in the bath it was lovely and moisturising but it took several bathes in this to notice a more lasting effect. If you use this in the bath, I would recommend exfoliating beforehand to remove the dead skin cells, so your body absorbs more moisture easily. After using this as a bath soak for several weeks, I have noticed I don't need to moisturise as much as my skin is left moisturised, I have noticed this with the hands too.

A bottle of this will last about a year. If you use this as a bath soak, it won't last as long, as obviously you need to use more. As purely a hand wash, I think it could last even longer than a year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Price & Availability~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For a 200ml bottle this will cost £3.95, so for such a luxurious product this isn't expensive at all. You can purchase this from Boots, some Superdrug's, the Covent Garden Store itself and various websites.

~~~~~~~~~Conclusion~~~~~~~~~

This is a luxurious hand wash and soak and can be used for a variety of things. It leaves your hands and body feeling moisturised and nourished and with continued use, you will definitely notice a difference. It is easy to use and for the price, it is definitely worth a buy. I would recommend this to anyone.

Advantages

Disadvantages

Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Range was created in 1930, the first creation was the infamous Eight Hour Cream, which immediately became a popular must have with many people, including celebrities.

The reason behind the naming of the cream was quite interesting, I obtained this from Elizabeth Arden's website - "The name "Eight Hour Cream" came about thanks to a remarkable performance - a loyal client used it to treat her child's skinned knee and "eight hours later" the skin was all better. Referred to as "The Miracle Cream" for its healing and protecting benefits".The 8 hour products are created with a combination of petrolatum, a skin-soothing beta-hydroxy and vitamin E. These are all renowned for high moisturising, heeling and soothing properties.

Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Lipcare Stick is the renowned Eight Hour Cream in the form of a protective, portable stick for lips. The lipbalm is packed with emollients, SPF15 and Vitamin E to soothe and moisturise your lips.

Eight Hour Lip Protectant Stick has won the 2007 Allure Editors' Choice Best of Beauty Award for Best Lip Balm.

~~~~~~~~~~~Use & Effects~~~~~~~~~~~

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Lip Protectant Stick comes in a tube, the same as a lipstick. It is shiny white in colour, with a silver divide between the lid and tube. The lipbalm winds up and down easily and doesn't get stuck onto the lid. The lid also doesn't loosen with time and the whole tube remains in good condition. The lipbalm itself looks like a pale lipstick, it is apricot in colour and looks rich with nutrients.

To use, undo the lid, then wind up the tube, so not too much of the lipbalm is on show to prevent it breaking off, then apply liberally to your lips, as often as needed. The moisture is supposed to las I would recommend applying this every hour or so. Unfortunately, after about an hour, even when you haven't consumed food or touched anything with your lips this lipbalm seems to go bitty on your lips, as if you have small grains or sugar in the lipbalm. This is annoying so I have to wipe it off and reapply. The lipstick tastes very much like honey to me, with hints of vanilla so it isn't at all unpleasant to have on your lips. It also smells very much like honey, this is due to the fact that it contains beeswax, with has great moisturising properties. I can also definately smell herbal and medical aromas on the lipbalm too.

Keeping your lips moisturised is important, and also ensuring you wear an SPF on then when you're in the sun is even more important. Your lips are usually neglected, especially in the sun. You will always apply SPF to your body and your face but a lot of the time your lips are forgotten. It is just as important for your lips to have an SPF protection too. This lipbalm moisturises, softens and smoothes your lips, whilst providing antioxidant protection with Vitamin E. Vitamin E has great healing and soothing properties. It is great for irritation and soothes whilst moisturising and hydrating your skin and lips. Vitamin E also has anti-ageing properties in and helps to prevent cellular damage and maintains the elasticity and collagen production in your skin which helps to reduce visible signs of ageing.

This lipbalm is fantastic for moisturising your lips. Its quite soft in texture, it looks like a pale lipstick but when you place on your lips, it kind of melts onto them. It isn't really glossy or doesn't give you colour like a lipstick or lipgloss. Your lips are left soft and supple and don't feel tight. I like to use this over lipstick to give it some shine and under lip gloss to ensure it sticks. The lipbalm isn't at all greasy. It is a perfect consistensy to apply without being too stiff or too runny. Your lips absorb just the amount they need, but you don't need to apply too much. You are supposed to have full results in 8 hours. After just a few hours I did notice that my lips weren't chapped, dry or tight anymore. After 8 hours, they were very moisturised and it didn't feel as though I needed to put something on them as they had absorbed and held onto the moisture from when I applied. These results were after applying several times, as unfortunately this doesn't last on your lips for 8 hours, but to me that is an unrealistic estimation. This is not as an intensive treatment as the 8 hour cream itself, which you could also use on your lips. I purchased this in May, I have used it nearly every day and it isn't really showing any signs of wear, so I would assume this does last a long time, as it has already lasted me 2 months.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Price & Availability~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For a lipbalm this is very expensive at a RRP of £24 for 13 fl. oz and to be honest although it's good, it's not worth that much money. It can be purchased for £16 for Debenhams but I still think it is expensive. I purchased this in an 8 hour gift pack, which included 8 hour cream and intensive hand treatment, which cost me the same price. I got this from the airport so did get it cheaper but you can purchase this at department stores for between £30 and £40.

~~~~~~~~~Conclusion~~~~~~~~~

I really like this lipbalm, but for the price, I personally don't think it is any better than Vaseline, it does the same job for a fraction of the price.

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California Tan was founded in 1987 in Los Angeles. They developed fake tan products on what the beauties on the LA beaches wanted. They originally started with tanning accelerators then got onto the market of sunless tanning products and they have now also created a range of make up and accesories to help enhance your tan. They are one of the leading companies in sunless tanning products and I will always feel confident using them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~California Tan Bronzer~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

California Tan Bronzer is a facial and body bronzer that works with your natural complexion to give you a flawless glow. This bronzer was designed specially for those who prefer not to tan the facial area but is now used by those who do and just want to use this as a standard facial bronzer.

~~~~~~~~~~Use & Effects~~~~~~~~~~

To use, you should use a bronzer brush and apply on it's own or over foundation. To apply dust the bronzer brush into the pot and tap off any excess then lightly buff onto your skin, concentrating on the apple of your cheeks, nose and forehead - all areas where a natural tan is more obvious. It is best to apply a small amount and then apply more if necessary rather than apply too much. In the day I would just apply this to the apple of my cheeks to give my face some colour and in the evening I tend to apply as an all over face colour as it provides a fuller, deeper coverage ontop of my foundation. You can use it ontop of foundation or even alone to give your complexion a boost and light coverage.

California Tan Bronzer is designed to conceal tan lines, so if you have these, you can just dust it over these areas and it conceals them well. If you are very tanned and the tan lines are very white, the tan lines will still be paler but a lot less noticeable. It also conceals any reddness you may have, including sunburn. The brown tint counteracts the reddness and disguises it. I have red cheeks so I always use bronzer on my cheeks to counteract the reddness whilst still ensuring I have a healthy glow to my face.

The bronzer comes in a pot very similar to a compact powder. The bronzer comes in a compacted powder form and with use gently loosens onto your brush, to ensure you apply the right amount and not too much. It is a lovely golden brown colour with hints of glimmer in. The glimmer doesn't look too much, or like you're trying to look too young, it just highlights your skin and captures the light producing a beautiful healthy and natural looking glow.

California Tan Bronzer really makes a difference to the colour of your skin, you only need a small amout and it perfectly highlights your good features on your face, giving you a natural glow. It makes your skin look so radiant and healthy yet so natural. It doesn't cling to your skin and look cakey, flakey or even streaky, instead it looks even, smooth and natural. You don't end up with a line between your face and neck like you do with a lot of make ups, providing more reason for this bronzer to look so natural on your skin. It also does not transfer onto clothes, so you don't have to worry about transferring it onto your boyfriends clothes! The bronzer doesn't make your skin feel dry or tight and as it is a powder it is great if you have oily skin as it absorbs some of the oily residue and doesn't just stick to it.

This bronzer is suitable for all skin types - oily, dry, combination and sensitive as it has factors to suit all those skin types. As it is in a powder form it is great for oily skin, as it absorbs the excess oil without it showing, sticking and looking cakey on your skin. If your skin gets oily whilst on, you can just buff over and it absorbs the oil. The bronzer is a light weight powder, which doesn't cling to your skin and doesn't highlight any dry patches, it glides over these areas and makes your skin look even and fresh. It doesn't contain a lot of the nasty ingredients that some make up contains and it is doesn't irriate my sensitive skin. I suffer from ecezma on my face and California Tan Bronzer doesn't stick to it and doesn't irritate or swell it up. It also is fantastic for covering up any marks on your skin and patches of ecezma and such things, it doesn't cling to it and perfectly masks any marks, covering them up without you being able to see the make up on it.

California Tan Bronzer lasts on your skin all day long without the need to retouch it up, I do however if I am going out reapply it so I have a darker, more enhanced look for the evening. It is easy to remove - you can use cleanser, make up remover or facial wipes.

I find a pot of this will last me about a year with daily use so for the price it isn't actually too bad. The pot remains clean throughout the year without having to clean it. The only problem is that if you drop it the compacted powder can crack and then you are left with lots of small pieces, and as it has a plastic cover, that can also crack, if both of these break, you will probably end up having to throw it away otherwise it will get everywhere.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Price & Availability~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

California Tan Bronzer will cost you £19.99 for a 10g compact powder pot. It can be purchased from any salon that provides California Tan treatments and also from www.lookfantastic.com. You will be looking to pay the RRP of £19.99 at most places, I haven't seen it cheaper.

~~~~~~~~~Conclusion~~~~~~~~~

This is a brilliant bronzer, I would recommend to anyone, especially for people who love to tan but are uneasy about tanning their face. It is easy to use and lasts a long time and leaves you with a flawless, natural looking glow that enhances your complexion.

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Herbal Essences is made by Clairol and subsequently owned by Procter & Gamble UK. Herbal Essences are a well known and reputable hair care brand that have a large range of shampoos, conditioners and hair colours. They are well known for their adverts, of a girl over enjoying herself due to the wonderful aroma of the Herbal Essences shampoos and conditioners. Herbal Essences is constantly winning awards, it recently won the 2007 Cosmopolitan Beauty Awards for best conditioner, which it has every year since 2004.

Deep Nourishment and Shine is for dry and damaged hair. It is one of the new Fruit and Fusions range from Herbal Essences, although it has been around for at least a year. Others in that category are Citrus Lift for Fine Hair, Brilliant Shine for Normal Hair and Vivacious Colour for Coloured Hair. Deep Nourishment and Shine contains coconut and hawaiian hibiscus extracts. Deep Nourishment and Shine Conditioner is designed to treat and smooth your hair after using the Deep Nourishment and Shine Shampoo to moisturise your hair from root to tip to revive its shine.

What Herbal Essences say - 'Revive the shine of your hair with Deep Nourishment and Shine. Immerse yourself in fragrant shampoos and conditioners which will leave your hair replenished'.

~~~~~~~~~~~Use & Effects~~~~~~~~~~~

The bottle is a paler blue than the shampoo and is purely one colour. The conditioner is also pale blue, and its consistensy is that of a thick and rich cream. When it's on your hands you can immediately feel that it is very moisturising. The bottle has a flip cap, which is easy to open and shut but the bottle cap did just break off one day so I have to make sure I keep it upright otherwise it will just tip out.

To use, first shampoo your hair twice and I would recommend using this along side with the matching shampoo. After you have shampooed and rinsed that out, smooth this conditioner through wet hair then rinse out after about 2 minutes. I only use this conditioner when I use this shampoo, as they really do work together and better than using other products with them. You do need to use quite a large amount of the conditioner as your hair really absorbs it. I have fairly long hair so would use more than someone with shorter hair but I still think to give it the deep nourishment that is needed you need quite a bit. It easily rinses out of your hair and doesn't leave you with a residue.

One thing you immediately notice with this conditioner, as with all Herbal Essences products, the smell is delicious. This one is supposed to have the fragrance of coconut, but I really don't smell that, to me this smells lovely and fruity. This really does make you feel how the adverts describe it! After washing and drying your hair, and even using products on, you can still clearly smell the gorgeous aroma of this conditioner and you can continue to smell it even the next day, just as fresh as it was immediately after washing it. It makes your hair feel really clean, knowing that it smells so lush.

The natural ingredients this conditioner contains are the same as the shampoo, they are Hibiscus Rose Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit and Cocos Nucifera Extract. These are what gives it it's wonderful natural aroma. Hibiscus Rose Extract is a natural moisturising ingredient for replenishing nutrients. Vanilla Planifolia Fruit has high vanilla content, it is used a lot for vanilla flavouring, I think if anything this is probably what you can smell the most in the conditioner, and I love the smell of Vanilla. It is mainly used as a fragrance in this conditioner but is an essential oil so is nourishing. Cocos Nucifera Extract is Coconut Extract which is nutrient rich and conditions the hair and skin and is also for its natural scent.

This conditioner is recommended for damaged and dry hair, but I wouldn't recommend it for dry scalps, although it doesn't make it any worse, it doesn't help either and if you have a dry scalp there are better shampoos you can use that do actually help a dry scalp. I have ecezma in my hair line, this doesn't irritate it at all, it doesn't soothe it but doesn't make it any worse.

When you rinse this out of your hair, you immediately feel a difference. To me, my hair seemed more dry than it was before. I then made the mistake of applying even more conditioner to counteract this, but there was no need. That feeling was just my hair being really clean, it wasn't dry at all. I then just left it one time, shampooed it twice and rinsed it out, then applied a normal amount of conditioner and it was so soft, clean and nourished, not at all dry. So don't make the same mistake I did by trying to apply more conditioner as you really don't need to.

Once you have dryed your hair, if is full of life. It's bouncy, clean and looks healthy. You are able to style it and the style stays. It doesn't look dull and lifeless. It feels so soft and you can definately notice that it has smoothed the ends of your hair and given it much more life and depth. The hair isn't knotty and doesn't knot up easily once it is dry. Your hair is left looking silky without looking too shiney and greasy. One thing that I do notice that once I have removed the towel from my head and go to brush through my hair it is slightly knottier than usual and I find it a bit difficult to comb through. I always use a styling spray so this helps the knottiness and eases my brush through. When I curl my hair or straighten it afterwards, the style sticks but it doesn't flatten your hair. This conditioner doesn't leave your hair with a greasy residue to leave it feeling overloaded or greasy, but I would only recommend, as with the shampoo using this as an inbetween conditioner, otherwise your hair gets too used to it and kind of rejects the moisture and doesn't absorb it, leaving your hair feeling worse than before. If you use a different product inbetween then you give your hair a rest from the usual product and it will work a lot better. Your hair appears smoother and healthier and split ends appear less obvious and you are not left with fly away straggly ends. It doesn't make your hair any shinier than it is but does give you deep nourishment and a deep clean. The shampoo and conditioner enhances my blonde colour, it doesn't fade it or make it look orange. It makes the best of my colour and I feel it would do this for all colours.

I find a 400ml bottle of this will last me about a year, with weekly to two weekly use, so for the money, that's certainly not bad. You do need to use quite a generous amount but it does last.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Price & Availability~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I purchased mine from Sainsbury's in a 2 for 1 offer when I was looking to purchase a cheaper shampoo and conditioner than my usual one, which is about £8-10. I brought this and the shampoo for £2.50. This can be purchased from Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose, Asda and Boots.

~~~~~~~~~Conclusion~~~~~~~~~

This is a good conditioner, it smoothes your hair without leaving it feel overburdened or greasy. I would however only recommend it for a conditioner to be used inbetween using your usual conditioner. For the price, it's not a bad conditioner, but as I said, only for an inbetweener.

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Disadvantages

I am going to talk about these eyelash extensions from two points of view, the therapist and the customer as I do eyelash extensions and also have them done. I have used both these and Hollywood Lash Extensions, you will see throughout this review that I favour Hollywood Lashes and you will read why.

i-lash Designer Eyelash Extensions are one of the most well known brands of semi-permenant eyelash extensions, that are mainly available in the UK. The eyelashes are made of individual polyester strands that are supposed to be shaped to fit the natural lash. As with all semi-permenant eyelash extensions, they are individually attached to each lash. i-lash Designer Eyelash Extensions boast lasting up to 2 months, with regular maintenances. Individual lash extensions provide you with a fuller, thicker and longer look.

Individual Lash Extensions originated in Asia and since the introduction of the treatment to the UK, its popularity has escalated as more and more salons offer the treatment.

~~~~~~~Training~~~~~~~

i-lash Designer provide a comprehensive one day training programme for fully qualified beauty therapists with an NVQ Level 2. The course is slightly longer than others and runs from 10am until 6pm so is a fairly intense day. In the course you are taught all that you need to know including the procedure, problems that could occur, contra-indications, health and safety and the maintenance routine. They can come out to the salon, for an additional cost or you can attend one of their workshops at one of their training venues. Their current training venues are London and Leeds and they usually have one course running a month. With the training you will also recieve a manual explaining the procedure, this is very useful when you are first getting used to the treatment. Another difference between this course and others is that you must bring your own model for half of the day to do treatments on, I always find this difficult to get someone who is able to do this. Each class only holds 4 students, which is great as you get more attention from the tutor and it is easier to learn in a smaller group. The course will cost you about £495 (+VAT) including a kit and if you want to train more than one person, you get a discount, and only have to pay £100 per additional student, so if you are training a whole salon this does save you quite a lot. If you are looking for the training to be done in your salon you are looking to pay £585 (+VAT) plus including the kit. i-lash Designer Eyelash Extensions

~~~~~~~Products~~~~~~~

Most i-lash Designer eyelash extension products are assembled in the UK, but some are selected from overseas manufacturers. i-lash Designer offer a wide variety of sizes and colours of eyelashes. You can get the lashes in Black, Dark Brown, Green, Red, Blue, Purple, Pink, Orange, White, Red-Wine and Blonde but black is by the far the most popular. You can purchase pots of different sized lashes, lash remover and adhesive. All the products are priced competively and aren't unreasonbable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Your Natural Lashes~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a quick bit of information about your natural eyelashes, so you can understand how long they last and why, and also why you can only attach a certain amount of extensions.

The human eyelash growns between 7-9mm in length and they are located in distinct rows on the eyelid. There are 90-160 eyelashes on the upper eyelid whilst the lower eyelid has only 75-80 eyelashes. The eyelashes on the upper eyelid are coarser and longer than the eyelashes on the lower lid. The eyelash grows for approximately 30 days and then rests for the rest of its life. An average life span of the eyelash is approximately 3 months, this is why Hollywood Lashes can last no longer than this, as it is attached to your own lash. For applying the extensions, the eyelashes are split into 3 categories:

Mature - These are the longest eyelashes that are fully grow and could be prone to falling out at any time.

Premature - The premature eyelash is relatively new growth and has appeared through the eyelid by pushing out a mature eyelash. These eyelashes are very short and weak and not yet strong enough to carry an eyelash extension.

Healthy - The healthy eyelash has been growing for 2-4 weeks and is now strong enough to carry an eyelash extension throughout its life. It is these eyelashes that an extension is applied to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Applying the lashes~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know only use Hollywood Lashes in my salon, as I don't find these as good, but the application is the same. Before you have the full treatment, a patch test should be carried out on you, this is to ensure you are not allergic to any of the products. You should go into the salon 24 hours before the treatment and have 1 or 2 lashes applied to the outer corner of your lashes, most people don't have a problem but if you feel any irritation or swelling, you should contact your salon immediately and you shouldn't go ahead with the treatment.

To apply the natural look it will take you approximately 1 hour - 1 1/2 hours and for the glamour look it will take you approximately 1 1/2 hours - 2 hours. For a natural look approximately 25 eyelash extensions are applied per eye and for the glamour look approximately 35 eyelash extensions are applied per eye. The usual look you will give your client, is shorter lashes on the inside of your eye and longer on the outer corner, but this will always depend on the clients wishes. The application is simple, it is quite fidely but you get used to this. You have to cleanse the lashes, it is always best if the client doesn't wear eye make up prior to the treatment. Then you individually apply each lash, to do this, which one pair of the tweezers, you section out the eyelash you want to apply the extension to, then you select the correct sized extension, swipe it through the glue and then 'drop' onto the lash 1/3 of the way down. Rub it up and down on the sides and ensure the extension is attached. You then have to wait a few minutes for the glue to dry to ensure you don't get the other lashes stuck to it. You carry on doing this for the whole treatment, and as it takes a few minutes to do each eyelash, this is why the treatment takes so long. Making sure you apply the extension to the 'healthy' lash will ensure longer lasting extensions. Mature lashes will tend to fall out first and will not have a very long life span and premature lashes will not have enough strength to hold up the extension. Eyelash Extensions are only applied to your upper lashes and never your bottom lashes, although a client told me the other day when they were on holiday this was offered, but it is just not practical!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~How they feel & look~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have had these done myself as well having done them to clients, so I can also tell you how they feel and look from a client's point of view. You must be lying down to have the treatment done, the therapist will tape your lower lashes down with a tape similar to micropore to ensure no glue gets onto these, sticking them together. The therapist will then tape the top layer of your upper lashes up in the same way, this is so they can apply the lashes to the underneath layer first to ensure you get as many in there as you can. They always say doctors are the worst patients, well I think beauty therapists must be the worst clients. I know I am a nightmare when I get these done, for some reason I just can't stop blinking when someone touches my eye, this does cause a bit of a problem, it makes it more difficult for the therapist to apply the lashes, but it can be overcome with a bit of patience, so if you're a blinker, warn the therapist before you start. Throughout the treatment, you don't feel anything, it's quite relaxing really, lying down and having your eyes closed for 1 hr and 1/2, just be careful not to fall asleep!

Applying the lashes, or the glue doesn't sting or irritate your lashes, it is comfortable throughout, I know alot of people worry that it may be painful but it really isn't. If you have ever had your eyelashes tinted, you may have experienced some discomfort or stinging, you won't feel any of that with this treatment. You may get a bit bored, especially as you can't read a magazine, but you will probably have a friendly therapist who will talk to you, or you could always take an Ipod to listen to some music. Even though you are lying there for 1 hr and 1/2, it really doesn't seem that long, it feels more like 1/2 hour. Once the treatment is complete, you will have to wait for a few minutes with your eyes closed, just to make sure all the glue is dry. You will then have to slowly open your eyes. The therapist will then remove the tape from under your eyes, now this is the only painful bit in the treatment, its just like removing a plaster, but it only lasts a second.

When you have opened you eyes, your lashes do immediately appear longer, fuller and thicker, they look really good. The lashes look really natural, even though they are obviously a lot longer than your own lashes they never look fake. As they are individual, they just look like your own lashes, but much longer. They really do make a difference to your face. Your whole eye is opened up and looks fuller and brighter without looking over the top and the best thing is they look so natural. I think eye make up is one of the biggest things to keep you looking awake, and these are great, you can just get up, quickly apply a bit of foundation and go, as your eyes will already look awake and beautiful.

With i-lash Designer eyelash extensions you cannot wear any mascara, which I don't like. Although your lashes don't really need it, I like to apply a little when I'm going out for that extra full look with you cannot wear it with these unlike other eyelash extensions which is a shame.

The one thing I must say, is that the therapist can't work miracles, if you have hardly and lashes, you can't have that many extensions, you can only have them attached to what's there so you must be realisitic with your expectations. Also, if your eyelashes aren't perfectly curled and in a perfectly neat line, then the extensions won't be, to be though this makes them look more natural, no one has perfect lines of lashes.

~~~~~~~~~~How they last~~~~~~~~~~

After just a few days the bonds on these begin to loosen and they start looking very obvious. The bottoms of the lashes start to clump together and they start to weigh your own lashes down. I think the lashes are made slightly too thick for the natural lashes, making them appear more obvious.

After about 1 week, they look terrible, I was literally trying to pull them out of my lashes, which is how you damage them but that one last bit of glue was hanging on. Alot of the lashes had loosened at the root and had turned themselves round and were sticking into my eyes, this was very uncomfortable. After about 2 weeks, they had pretty much all come off, so much for lasting for 2 months.

I now do Hollywood Lash Extensions and you don't have any of this, these really do last for 3 months and you can't feel they are there and they wear well throughout the 3 months with non of the problems above. I have even had a client from another salon who had i-lash Designer Extensions, that said they ruined her own eyelashes, I persuaded her to come to have Hollywood Lashes with me and she really noticed a difference and was thankful I restored her faith in eyelash extensions and she has never had any problems with Hollywood Lashes.

It is recommended that you keep then topped up and attend maintenance appointments, about one every 3 weeks, this will replace any missing lashes and will keep your look full. Well mine didn't even last this long and I did give it more than one chance and it happened every single time and clients have reported the same, this is why I changed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Contraindications to the treatment~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you suffer from any of the following, i-lash Designer Eyelash Extensions are not suitable for you:

Dry Eye Syndrome, Keratitis,Conjunctivitis or any other contageous eye disorders.

However, if the contraindication is temporary, you can get the treatment when it has cleared up.

If a client has Glaucoma or Cataracts it does not affect a client's suitability to the treatment, they are still able to have it done.

Other contraindications to the treatment are:

Weak eyelashes, allergies to the adhesive or tape, styes, cuts, abrasions and swelling in the area, blepharitis, recent operations or scar tissue in the area. Contact lenses must be removed prior to the treatment and if you are suffering from particularly bad hayfever and your eyes are watering, the bonds won't stick so you will have to wait till this isn't happening.

~~~~~~~Aftercare ~~~~~~~

This is the advise on how to take care of your lash extensions, to make sure they remain looking as good as they did when they were first done:

For the first 2 hours:Do not allow water to contact the eyelashes.

For the first 2 days:Do not wash eyes or lashes with hot water or steam the face and avoid swimming, jacuzzi or steam bath/sauna.

Thereafter:Do not cover the eyelash area as it may cause eyelashes to curl, break or overlap each other.

Do not get your eyelashes tinted or permed whilst the lashes are on, but these can be done before.

Do not wear mascara, as this will loosen the bonds.

Use only oil free eye make up remover.Use in a downward motion, do not rub side to side as this can loosen the bonds.

Most of all, do not rub the eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~Maintenance~~~~~~~~~~~

It is recommended that you book for your first maintenance session 2-3 weeks after the application, where any lashes that have fallen out will be replaced, but I didn't find mine even lasted that long.

To keep up the lashes, you should attend regular maintenance sessions on a 3 week basis to keep the full look. By this time, the premature lashes will have now grown into healthy lashes for you to attach the new extensions to. This cycle will repeat itself month after month so there will always be a constant supply of healthy lashes to apply new extensions to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Removal of lashes~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you no longer want your lashes in, then they can be removed by the therapist that did them, never try and remove them yourself as you could end up damaging your own lashes. It is a simple procedure and will take about 30 minutes. You can also just have one or two lashes removed, but this must still be done in the same way. In the kit you get a 'De-bonder', which you apply to each lash with a cotton bud and gently loosen the bond. The client won't feel any discomfort at all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~How much they cost to get done~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For a full treatment, these will cost about £45 for a full set and £30 for a maintenance. This is cheap for a full set of semi-permenant eyelash extensions, but now I know they don't last it is actually a rip off! I charge £80 for a full set of Hollywood Lashes, nearly double but when i-lash Designer eyelash extensions only last a maximum of 2 weeks and Hollywood Lashes last about 3 months, Hollywood Lashes definately work out better value.

i-lash Designer Eyelash Extensions are definately better than traditional eyelash extensions, the one day ones but they are no where near as good as other semi-permenant eyelash extensions.

They don't last like other semi-permenant eyelash extensions, they start to loosen, look obvious and clump out and only actually last for about 2 weeks. Other semi-permenant eyelash extensions don't do this at all, they last for 3 months and look perfect the whole way through.

As I said however i-lash Designer Eyelash Extensions are better than traditional eyelash extensions, for the few days they look good anyway! For the first few days, they don't look false or obvious, which traditional eyelash extensions do.

~~~~~~~~~Conclusion~~~~~~~~~

Semi-permenant eyelash extensions are fantastic but I wouldn't recommend these particular ones, they don't last and look obvious and weigh your own lashes down after just a few days. If you are thinking of having these done, I would 100% recommend Hollywood Lashes, as there is such a difference.

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Disadvantages

Bare Escentuals BareMinerals is brought to you by a company called Cosmeceuticals, who also own the likes of Skin Doctors, MD Formulations, Vitage and many other brands but those being the most well known and popular.

Bare Escentuals first of all introuduced their BareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation in 1976, since then Bare Escentuals has created creamy, feather-light color for all over your face, cheeks and eyes. They have a complete line of loose, powder-like products which are 100% pure BareMinerals.

All BareMinerals products are made from 100% pure minerals and only use only the finest ingredients in their products. BareMinerals make up mostly comes in powder form and these are made with crushed minerals from the earth, 100% pure bareMinerals is free of preservatives, talc, oil, fragrance and other potential skin irritants; is free of fillers and binders; is weightless; provides adjustable coverage - from light to full and will improve the condition of the skin over time. BareMinerals products are suitable for all ages and skin types and conditions and BareMinerals can be particularly beneficial to those who suffer with skin sensitivities, allergies, scars, blemishes, rosacea, wrinkles and pigmentation problems such as vitaligo and chloasma - a condition suffered by many pregnant ladies. BareMinerals acts as a physical, safe, non chemical block against the sun's harmful rays and many of their face products contain SPF15, which is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation. BareMinerals is actually good for your skin as they contain calming and soothing ingredients making them perfect to use when your skin is really sensitive. BareMinerals slogan is "so pure, you can sleep in it" and this really is true.

Although BareMinerals make up has been around since 1976 it is only in the last few years it has become more well known, and it still isn't as widely known about as it should be. It is America's number 1 selling foundation and also the number 1 mineral make up brand in the world, proving that it must be good. It is slowly coming into more salons and getting more of the deserved publicity it should in the UK. Quite a few salons, I have found mainly in the Midlands stock BareMinerals, and the salon I work in does also, and has done for several years - the customers love it! Since using Bare Escentuals make up on my face, I would never use anything else and I know alot of customers feel the same. I think it is the best make up out there by far.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bisque Eyeshadow~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bisque is a translucent shade which glides onto your eyelids perfectly and lasts all day without creasing. It blends in perfectly enabling a natural look or providing a perfect base for other eyeshadows.

~~~~~~~~~~Use & Effects~~~~~~~~~~

The use of this is quite similar to using the face products, so if you are used to doing that, you will pick this up easily. Using Bare Escentuals Wet/Dry Shadow Brush, swirl the brush inside the lid of the Bisque pot, absorbing a small amount of the product onto the brush, tap to remove the excess and then gently sweep the powder onto your eyelid, starting from the inside corner to the outer and blend to your desired effect. If necessary add more, but rather than apply too much, apply a little at a time. You can also apply this to your lower eyeline, to create a smokey look. You can apply Bisque wet or dry. The above method is for dry. To use wet, dip your brush into a small pot of water, make sure you remove excess and then dip into the pot the same as above, then use as you would an eyeliner, and gently smudge across the eyeline, for a more defined look. When you use Bisque wet, it creates a slightly darker colour yet still remains so natural looking. It is recommended that you apply your eyeshadow after your foundation and face colour. It doesn't matter too much whether you apply your eyeliner or your eyeshadow first. To prevent any eyeshadow spilling on your face, you can place a tissue under your lower lashes, so anything that spills will drop on that, rather than your face.

Bisque is also a concealer in the BareMinerals range, and they have also created an eyeshadow which is very similar. It is a very neutral colour, it really blends perfectly into your skin and you don't know you're wearing it. It is a matt beige colour and blends into any skin tone, whether you are either very pale or very dark. The colour is not that of the picture above at all. Bisque doesn't look like you're wearing an eyeshadow but it really lightens your eyelids making your eyes appear open, awake and more radiant. It smoothes your skin making it look flawless without the obvious look of make up. Bisque can be worn alone or under other colours for a more intense and flawless look. It can be used as a concealer on blemishes and can also be used on any dark circles under the eyes. It can be worn under eyeshadow to create a smooth and flawless canvas so your eyeshadow doesn't slip. It is perfect for both day and evening looks, and looks so natural whilst giving your skin and eyes a flawless finish. I like to wear this in the day alone, when I don't want to appear like I am wearing eyeshadow, so I just have a natural and flawless finish to my face.

Bisque doesn't cling to your skin and look cakey, instead it looks even, smooth and natural. It doesn't transfer onto things and remains on your skin. It doesn't crease on your eyelid, start to lift, slide off or wear. It lasts for the whole day, I use a small amount in the day, as stated above and then just apply some more over the top for an evening look. Unless you are changing the look, there is no need to reapply this through out the day. If you suffer from oily skin and make up does slip off you quite easily, you can apply some BareMinerals concealer or BareMinerals foundation over your eyelids before, as they are powders, they absorb the oil and prevent your make up from slipping. Bisque is so weightless, you cannot feel that you are wearing make up and it doesn't tighten your skin, especially as it all looks so natural, you are just left with perfect, flawless make up. I have recieved so many compliments about my make up and how perfect it always looks - it's all thanks to BareMinerals.

All BareMinerals products are suitable for all skin types - oily, dry, combination and sensitive as it has factors to suit all those skin types. As it is in a powder form it is great for oily skin, as it absorbs the excess oil without it showing, sticking and looking cakey on your skin. If your skin gets oily whilst on, you can just buff over and it absorbs the oil. Bisque is a light weight feathery powder, which doesn't cling to your skin and doesn't highlight any dry patches, it glides over these areas and makes your skin look even and fresh. As it contains all natural mineral ingredients only it is suitable for sensitive skin, it doesn't contain any preservatives, talc, oil, fragrance and other potential skin irritants and is free of fillers and binders, which makes the perfect foundation for sensitive skin. I suffer from ecezma on my face and especially around my eyes, this is the only make up I can wear on it without it sticking to it and causing irritation and swelling. It also is fantastic for covering up any marks on your skin and patches of ecezma and such things, it doesn't cling to it and perfectly masks any marks, covering them up without you being able to see the make up on it.

BareMinerals cannot be compared to other mineral make ups that have recently come onto the market such as loreal, other products do not contain pure minerals, BareMinerals is the only one to contain 100% minerals. The other 'mineral' make ups still contain nasty ingredients so they really can't be called mineral make ups as they're not good for your skin and they don't even look good on your skin either.

I find that a .02oz pot of Bisque Eyeshadow, with daily use will last me about a year. Although it is a small pot, you only use it on your eyes and you rarely use that much, this is why it lasts. It is easy to remove, you can use cleanser, make up remover or facial wipes. As it is pure minerals, Bisque is actually okay to sleep in - it won't bring you out in spots as it allows your skin to breathe whilst on and does not clog your pores. Obviously it is best to sleep with no make up on whatsover, but if you forget or don't have anything to remove it with then it doesn't matter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Price & Availability~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bisque Eyeshadow will cost £12.00 for a .02oz pot. It can also be purchased from any salon stocking BareMinerals products, from www.bareminerals.co.uk or from other websites. The Wet/Dry Shadow brush I recommended for use with Bisque Eyeshadow will cost you £13 and you can purchase this from anywhere you can get Bisque Eyeshadow from. This is one of the cheaper Bare Escentuals brushes and will last you forever.

~~~~~~~~Conclusion~~~~~~~~

Bisque Eyeshadow is perfect for day and evening wear, so saves you using more than one. It creates a natural and flawless look and can be used alone for a natural look and provides a fantastic base from other eyeshadows. A pot lasts you a long time, and you only need to use a small amount. I would definately recommend this eyeshadow to anyone, it would be suited to all skin types and skin tones.

Advantages

Disadvantages

Ben & Jerry's ice cream was founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield and has now been brought by Unilever. They met in school and several years later after many unsuccessful and unenjoyed jobs they both attended a $5.00 course in ice cream making and after investing $12,000 they then opened their first 'scoop shop' in a gas station in Burlington, Vermont in 1978. It didn't take long for them to become very popular. Ben had no sense of taste so he relied on what he called 'mouth feel', and big chunks of all sorts of ingredients, especially chocolate became their signature, and it is still is to this day. In 1979 they began selling pints of ice cream out of the side of a VW camper van, they continued to grow and improve throughout the years and have now stand as one of the favourite brands of ice cream. Ben and Jerry's along with Hagen Daaz have always been my favourite ice creams, and apart from the flavours with nuts in, I love them all but Bohemian Raspberry is my favourite.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bohemian Raspberry~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bohemian Raspberry is one of Ben & Jerry's newest ice creams released in 2007, as the name suggests it contains raspberrys. It consists of vanilla ice cream with chunks of chocolate fudge brownie and raspberry swirls. As soon as I passed this on the shelves in Sainsbury's, I immediately brought it. The name of Bohemian Raspberry is a play of the song Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen and is a dedication to Freddie Mercury. This name was suggested by customers of Ben & Jerry's and fans of Queen. It continues its Queen theme by donating 10p of every pot sold going to the Mecury Phoenix Trust, which is the charity that has been set up in Freddie Mercury of Queen's memory. This charity helps worldwide with AIDS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Taste, Texture & Smell~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bohemian Raspberry has got to be one of my favourite ice creams, if not my absolute favourite. I am completely in love with anything that consists of chocolate and raspberrys together - it is devine.

When you open the pot of ice cream, there is no distinctive aroma, you can smell the chocolate fudge brownie and a hint of vanilla but there is no aroma of raspberrys. I might have expected this ice cream to smell a bit more fruity, but no big deal, it tastes devine and that's what matters.

The ice cream is vanilla, it is a real white and creamy vanilla, with chucks of chocolate fudge brownie with swirls of thick raspberry sauce. When you open the tub, you will see the creamy white ice cream with veins of raspberry swirls running through and some chunks of chocolate fudge brownie. Every pot however is different, so one pot you may open and not all those things may be on show, they may be underneath. There are several colours on show, especially with the bright colouring of the raspberry swirls, it really stands out to you, the packaging also helps do this. Overall, from first impressions this looks very very tasty.

Vanilla ice cream - Bohemian Raspberry mostly consists of vanilla ice cream. This has a real and natural tasting vanilla flavour, it doesn't taste overpowering, sickly or artificial. It is a full bodied vanilla taste that is perfect in composition. The ice cream is thick and creamy, it tastes rich without being too much. The ice cream isn't too hard or too runny. You can easily scoop it out the pot without a struggle but it does give some resistance proving its not too soft and runny. Some cheaper ice creams, I tend to find are a bit airy in texture, but this really isn't, its full of cream and thick in texture, whilst still tasting light in your mouth. The whole ice cream is very soft to the taste, and just melts in your mouth, it definately tastes like a premium flavoured ice cream should. I never usually like vanilla ice cream that much, I always find it boring but Ben & Jerry's is one of the only ones I could eat on its own, although it's vanilla, it still bursts with flavour and leaves you craving more. Although I do love this with vanilla ice cream, I would love to see a chocolate ice cream version, as it would be pure chocolate and raspberry - my idea of heaven, obviously I know this would probably be too sickly for most people apart from those chocoholics.

Raspberry Swirls - The raspberry swirls also consist of blackberry puree as well as raspberry puree. From the addition of blackberry puree the colouring is slightly darker than raspberry puree, it is inbetween a red raspberry colour with hints of purple from the blackberry, The colouring is all natural and it doesn't look artificial or taste it. You do get a generous amount of these in the ice cream, but I do wish there were a few more, but this is just me being greedy. The raspberry swirls are thick, they aren't runny or sticky. The raspberry flavour is slightly tangy as it should be, but again like the ice cream it is not too overpowering or sickly, nor does it leave an aftertaste in your mouth. The raspberry swirls are not like raspberry swirls in raspberry ripple ice cream and the ice cream certainly isn't. The raspberry swirls in raspberry ripple ice cream are very artificial tasting and the ice cream is very fake airy vanilla so this just can't be compared, everything in Ben & Jerry's is natural.

Chocolate Fudge Brownies - The chocolate fudge brownies are just as they should be. They are soft and gooey, without being runny or undercooked, nor are the hard and overcooked. Without been overcooked the brownies have a slight crunch and are slightly chewey which is lovely, just as I like my brownies to be. They have a delicious flavour, they aren't sickly or overpowering, just as the vanilla ice cream and raspberry swirls, making it the perfect combination. The chocolate brownie doesn't contain any nuts as some brownies do, which is great for me as I'm allergic to them, but I could see some people would want the content of them to make it a little more crunchy in texture. You get quite a few chucks on chocolate fudge brownie in the ice cream, some larger than others, and some are very small.

With this ice cream, it is all very hit and miss about what you will get on your spoon each time you scoop some out, one time you might get some brownie, the next you might just get ice cream and the next you might get a bit of both. I like this, as it gives you a bit of variety and it doesn't get boring. When my boyfriend and I are eating a pot of this, it's always a race to see who can get to the 'good bits' first, if one person has a spoonful and that reveals a layer of brownie or raspberry, we fight with our spoons to get to it. You also get a variety of textures in your mouth to keep it exciting too, you get a slight cruchyness yet gooeyness from the brownie pieces, soft and light ice cream and again slightly gooey raspberry swirls. You aren't left with an aftertaste or a fuzzy, sugar coated teeth feeling in your mouth after eating this. This ice cream is just like the sundaes I like to make, I have vanilla ice cream, break up some cookies and squirt raspberry sauce on, this ice cream saves me doing that, they've basically got that all in one pot. I never actually tried it, but it seems this is an improved and updated version of Ben & Jerry's Glastonberry, which they released last year. It was very similar, but as the name suggests with berrys rather than raspberry swirls. This ice cream is perfect for having as dessert, it slips down nicely, as a snack or as comfort food, I will always turn to this if I'm feeling down, well they do say chocolate contains endorphins.

~~~~~~~~Packaging~~~~~~~~

Bohemian Raspberry comes in a stand up 500ml supported cardboard pot. This stores the ice cream well, it doesn't fall apart and leak. The pot looks good, but may appear to a female slightly more - it has lots of purple and pink swirls along with a large raspberry, which actually looks more like a blackberry and a chocolate fudge brownie. As with all Ben & Jerry's pots, their name is written across the front with the words 'Bohemian Raspberry' underneath. Underneath this it states that it is an ice cream, as Ben & Jerry's also do sorbets, and low fat yogurts and underneat this is a small description of what the ice cream is and contains. Ben & Jerry's packaging is always bright, fun and funky, they never take themselves, the names of the ice creams and the packaging seriously. This makes it seem more fun to eat, to me. The pot comes with a seal around the outside of the lid to the pot, ensuring that you know your product hasn't been tampered with before you open it. On the back of the pot, is information about Ben & Jerrys, along with contact info and nutritional information.

The pot is made from 90% renewable paper stock, but to stop it from leaking Ben & Jerrys have had to coat it with polyethylene which makes recycling a bit difficult. Ben & Jerrys use waterproof ink to print on all the information, so even when its in the freezer and gets water on, you will still be able to read the information you need to, which is really useful.

I find the first time you open the pot, the lid is a little stiff to get off, due to the ice cream being right up to the top and the addition of a plastic sealed wrapper to keep the ice cream fresh. After then it can sometimes be a little loose, it never seems to just right. It won't fall off easily, but when you pick it up you just need to be careful that you don't pick it up by the lid and drop the pot underneath.

Per 100g there are 240 calories, 12.5g fat, of which 7g are saturated and 25g of sugars. So for a whole pot thats a whopping 1200 calories, which sometimes I am naughty enough to consume in one go, nearly my whole daily allowance, so I would recommend that you only a have a little at a time, if you can resist! Although Ben & Jerry's ice creams have never been the healthiest for you, but Bohemian Raspberry is one of the worst ones for you, probably why it's the tastiest! There are no artificial ingredients, they are all natural, the only thing making this as unhealthy as it is is cream and chocolate.

Ben & Jerrys are always keen to help the environment and get the best products they can. They also like to help people and do as much good as they can with their products. They always use free range eggs and since 2006 now have fairtrade products. Over 50% of a pot of Ben & Jerry's ice cream consists of dairy so they ensure they have a sustainable dairy farming programme.The brownies that Ben & Jerry's put in their ice creams, including Bohemian Raspberry come from the Greyston Bakery in New York which seeks to train and counsel the homeless. The Foundation supports the community by providing child care, housing, health care, job training and more for low-income residents in certain parts of New York.

In 2004 Ben & Jerry's Hellendoorn factory became the first Dutch factory to convert 100% of its gas and electricity use to 100% renewable energy (wind, sun, biomass or water) to power its manufacturing operations. Ben & Jerry's recycle, use energy efficient light bulbs and where possible, use 100% renewable energy.

Another suprising little fact is that any wasted ice cream goes to a pig farm in Stowe, Vermont, and the pigs love it.

There are no artifical flavourings or colourings in this ice cream, everything in the ice cream is natural. Bohemian Raspberry's main ingredients are as follows:

This product is suitable for nut allergy suffers, it doesn't contain nuts and I am allergic to them and have never had a problem with this ice cream. Unfortunately it is not suitable for gluten allergy suffers due to the content of wheat flour.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Price & Availability~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can only get Bohemian Raspberry in a 500ml pot and unfortunately not in the smaller snack sized pots. A 500ml pot will cost you £3.95, it is available from most supermarkets, some service stations and Blockbuster. You can occasionally get offers in the supermarkets which consist of 2 for £5 and 1/3 off. You can also get this flavour in certain cinemas, I have recently noticed you can get this in some Cineworlds, if they have a Ben & Jerry stand. As the ice cream is quite expensive, I usually wait till one of these offers comes round till I buy this.

Although it is expensive, Ben & Jerry's ice cream just can't be compared to any others, including other premium brands. They are head and shoulders above them and for this reason, I don't mind paying that bit extra, but I do usually try and buy the ice cream when it's on offer. This is my favourite ice cream, the chocolate and raspberry content goes perfectly together and it never gets too sickly. Although not the healthiest of products, its made from all natural ingredients and Ben & Jerry's does as much as it can to help the environment.

Advantages

Disadvantages

This is Geluscious's story, taken from their website, I have included it in the review as I found it very interesting ' "Originally developed for use in the medical field, GeLusciousTM revolutionary range of gel products was created to provide soothing comfort and relief to patients undergoing care and treatment in Orthotics, Prosthetics, Orthopedics, Wound Care, Burn Care, Plastic Surgery and Dermatology. The results were staggering. Time and time again, our gels were clinically proven to encourage healthy tissue growth while healing, lubricating, moisturizing, conditioning, soothing, softening and beautifully improving the look of skin. Given its unprecedented success in treating patients, the idea to extend its nurturing, healing benefits to the salon and spa arena was born. Utilizing exclusive cocktails of vitamin-enriched antioxidants, nourishing vitamins and moisture-rich oils, GeLusciousTM range of patented products combines medical-grade, scientifically proven formulas with the luxurious pampering of a relaxing and rewarding at-home spa experience".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Geluscious Gloves~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Geluscious Gloves are moisturising gel padded gloves which you slip onto your hands to soften and smoothe them. They are the perfect lazy way to presentable hands. There are 4 layers and stages to these gloves. The first is a layer of terry cloth. The second is gel moisturising pad in the gloves. The third is the gel pad releasing additives and vitamins and the last stage is your hands left revitalised and moisturised.

~~~~~~~~~~Use & Effects~~~~~~~~~~

Geluscious Gloves come in a lovely looking box, which clearly displays the gloves. I would recommend that you keep the gloves in the box inbetween uses, to keep them safe and clean.Geluscious Gloves are just like normal gloves, they aren't big and clumpy. They are fairly similar to the gloves you get to exfoliate yourself with. The gloves are made out of terry cloth, made of 88% Cotton, 11% Polyester, 1% Elastane and have a gel coating in the inside, filled with essential oils. The essential oils that these booty's contain are Jojoba Oil, Canola Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Soybean Extract and Vitamin E.

Jojoba Oil is great for healing the skin. It is light, non-greasy and absorbs fast into skin, it is highly moisturising and nourishing and helps Vitamin E to penetrate deeply into the skin, this prevents cellular damage and eliminates visible signs of aging, so is good to start using whilst young. Canola Oil is more commonly know as Rapeseed Oil. It has softening properties to your skin and is high in Vitamin E. Grapeseed Oil is a carrier oil, with moisturising properties, it ensures that the other oils are pushed deep into your skin. Soybean Extract is another light oil that is easily absorbed. It is actually proven to reduce the appearance of hair. Soybean Extract also contains high amount of Vitamin E. So, Vitamin E is the main product in this, as all the oils contain it. Vitamin E has great healing and soothing properties. It is great for irritation and soothes whilst moisturising and hydrating your skin. Vitamin E also has anti-ageing properties in and helps to prevent cellular damage and maintains the elasticity and collagen production in your skin which helps to reduce visible signs of ageing.

Geluscious gloves are available in pink and blue. So whether you are a girlie girl, or not so much, there is a colour to suit you. Both come in nice shades. The pink isn't a ghastly shade, its a subtle dark baby pink colour and the blue is a lovely baby blue, still providing a girlie feel. The gloves come in one size that fits all. They adapt to the size of your hands. If you have small feet they will vacuum around your feet and if you have larger feet they will stretch to accomodate your hands. These gloves are also suitable for males as well as females, so the blue and the fact that they strectch to fit your hands is perfect for them.

It is a common misbelief that your face ages the quickest and most, it is actually your hands. I'm a beauty therapist and most people who come for hand treatments, such as manicures have problems and ageing with their hands due to washing their hands with just water, or soap and water and a handwash that strips the skin. Many handwashes and soap are alkaline based products. The skin has an acid pH so if alkaline products are used on it, the acid mantle will be disturbed. The acid mantle is the protective layer of goodness and oils on your skin and also discourages bacteria and fungi, so you don't want to remove this. It will take several hours for this protective film to be restored. If this is damaged your skin can be left dry, damaged or even irritated and sensitive. Your hands need as much care as you give your face.

These are a brilliant present or treat for yourself, especially for people who neglect your hands and don't have time exfoliate, moisturise etc. They are so quick and easy to use. Just slip them on and leave them to work. It is recommended to wear these for at least 20-30 minutes at a time. You can wear them around the house when doing jobs, the cooking or even sitting watching the television, you don't have to take any extra time out to use these, but I must admit they are slightly harder to do things with than the booty's for your feet, they are a little more restrictive. They are even useful to take to wear on a flight, as your always bored on a flight and your skin always dries up on a flight. The best time to wear these is when you're in bed so they can work overnight. There is no maximum time you can wear these for, as long as you wear them for at least 20-30 minutes. These are the laziest way to have presentable hands. I would recommend that you use these 3 times a week or as much as you can. They will leave your feet looking as if they have and your skin will be as soft as a babys bottom. For a more intensive treatment, you can rub some cream into your hands first, and you can apply any other hand treatments then slide your hands into these gloves. You can even apply a mask to your hands, but make sure you wrap your mask covered hands up firmly with clingfilm, to keep the heat in so the product works better and to prevent the mask getting onto your gloves. If creams get onto the gloves that is okay, but masks can stain if they are mud style ones. If you do have quite dirty hands then I would recommend washing them first to prevent to dirt from transferring.

I tried these after I tried the booty's so I had high expectations for them and wasn't dissappointed at all. When your hands are in the gloves, you can't feel the oil, they aren't slippy or wet in texture. The gel is slightly moist and with the pressure from your hands on the gel, it slowly releases the essential oils, just the right amount you need. These gloves are soft and comfortable and won't affect what you need to do. They do not affect the temperature of your hands either. They won't make them hot and clammy, as the gel with soothe them and prevent any swelling due to heat but if you suffer from cold hands, they won't make them much warmer, only slightly, so if you have really cold hands these won't help that, but that's not what they are for. I suffer from ecezma, including on my hands quite badly and these are a godsend for those type of conditions. These are soothing to my ecezma and don't irritate it in any way and as they soothe this prevents me from itching so improves the ecezma. It is not recommended that you use these on open wounds or cuts, but I think it is okay to, I have before with no problems, they don't sting.

When your hands have been in these for the recommended time, you just slide them off nice and easily. You don't have to wash your hands as they aren't left greasy. The essential oils will have absorbed perfectly into your skin. It really sucks it in. Your hands won't feel as if they have anything on but they will be so unbelievably wonderful and soft. These are brilliant for dry and tight hands, which always happens with regular washing of them. It made the fine lines and age spots reduced on my hands, and they appeared healthy and radiant and I just can't get over how soft they were, they were just like a baby's bottom - it was fantastic. I hate my hands having creamy products on them, as I hate the feeling of wrinkly fingers you can get but these are great and don't cause your fingers to do that at all, all whilst ensuring they are moisturised, these are definately the best product I have found for my hands. These also help your nails to grow and be healthy and help and prevent sore hangnails. These results last too, they will last for several days, but you need to try and regularly use them for optimum results and to keep your perfect feet up. After just several uses of these you will notice an even bigger difference, you will find you need them less and your hands will keep moisture in a lot more and easier than before.

For optimum benefits, you can get 40 wears out of these, I have had more, but the quality has gone down slightly but they still work, I just have to now wear them a little longer. It is recommended that you purchase a new pair after 40 wears. Inbetween wearing them, if you need to, you can wash them. To do this, handwash with mild soap and then hang to drip dry, do not tumble dry or put in the washing machine. I would only recommend washing when necessary though, so you don't ruin them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Price & Availability~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Geluscious gloves can be purchased for £21.95 RRP. They can be purchased from most salons who stock Jessica Nails products (they come from the same supplier). They can also be purchased for slightly cheaper from www.gelbootys.co.uk for £19.54 but you will have to pay postage on that, so you're not really saving much. There aren't really any other websites that stock this, so it can be a little tricky to get hold of. Geluscious also do these in booty's for the feet, I have written a seperate review on this.

~~~~~~~~Conclusion~~~~~~~~

These are perfect for people who don't have time to look after their hands but still want them to look presentable, they are the perfect lazy way to gorgeous hands. They leave your skin as soft as a baby's bottom and revitalised. I would definately recommend these, I wouldn't be without mine.